Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, May 09, 2011
Advocacy Advice for the New Teacher Librarian
From veteran Teacher Librarian, Joy Millam:
Here are some things I would do-- look on YALSA's booklists from the past year or two and read from the lists. I especially recommend Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers because much of the time you will have reluctant readers that need guidance. The more avid readers tend to browse and self-select more often. I have many classes in for booktalks and the most challenging are the non-or reluctant readers. They often don't like anything so having a good repertoire of titles that are tested on teens who are reluctant readers is a good way to get caught up. Many of these are very quick reads so you can plow through a large number and build up your currency very quickly. If your YA lit course was 7 years ago you'll find the books a bit out of date as to what is circulating right now.
Also check with our many bloggers out there - they will be very helpful because they write about what is very now and happening in all areas. I would also search for Top Ten lists for 2010 and 2011 to get a feel for what is really popular right now and get to know those titles- read them.
As for environment, make it a top priority to make the library welcoming. Put the shusher away and let them know that they are wanted. I don't shush too often- the library is definitely not the quietest place on our campus - but kids today don't seem to be too bothered. If a student complains about needing more quiet, I have a quiet area available. Most are used to a lot of noise and often listen to their ipods and are multi-tasking. I also have games (chess, checkers, backgammon, decks of cards, Mastermind) because these kids need a break and are seriously over-scheduled.
Be flexible and have fun. Be sure to reach out to your teaching staff and tell them all the great things you can do to make their lives easier. Show them some cool Web 2.0 tools that will make learning fun and help students learn more and retain it. I show them Memorize.com (great online study tool to create "decks" of flashcards with a variety of methods to study), Prezi, and Glogster. Collaborate with TL's around the country and share lessons - most are more than willing to hand over lessons to help another TL.
Be sure to advertise what you are doing-- I put out a newsletter to share programming and activities with staff and administration. They won't know what we do if we don't share it with them.
Joy Millam
Teacher Librarian
YALSA's Michael L. Printz Award Committee 2012
YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers Committee (2006-2010)
Valencia High School Placentia, CA
Here are some things I would do-- look on YALSA's booklists from the past year or two and read from the lists. I especially recommend Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers because much of the time you will have reluctant readers that need guidance. The more avid readers tend to browse and self-select more often. I have many classes in for booktalks and the most challenging are the non-or reluctant readers. They often don't like anything so having a good repertoire of titles that are tested on teens who are reluctant readers is a good way to get caught up. Many of these are very quick reads so you can plow through a large number and build up your currency very quickly. If your YA lit course was 7 years ago you'll find the books a bit out of date as to what is circulating right now.
Also check with our many bloggers out there - they will be very helpful because they write about what is very now and happening in all areas. I would also search for Top Ten lists for 2010 and 2011 to get a feel for what is really popular right now and get to know those titles- read them.
As for environment, make it a top priority to make the library welcoming. Put the shusher away and let them know that they are wanted. I don't shush too often- the library is definitely not the quietest place on our campus - but kids today don't seem to be too bothered. If a student complains about needing more quiet, I have a quiet area available. Most are used to a lot of noise and often listen to their ipods and are multi-tasking. I also have games (chess, checkers, backgammon, decks of cards, Mastermind) because these kids need a break and are seriously over-scheduled.
Be flexible and have fun. Be sure to reach out to your teaching staff and tell them all the great things you can do to make their lives easier. Show them some cool Web 2.0 tools that will make learning fun and help students learn more and retain it. I show them Memorize.com (great online study tool to create "decks" of flashcards with a variety of methods to study), Prezi, and Glogster. Collaborate with TL's around the country and share lessons - most are more than willing to hand over lessons to help another TL.
Be sure to advertise what you are doing-- I put out a newsletter to share programming and activities with staff and administration. They won't know what we do if we don't share it with them.
Joy Millam
Teacher Librarian
YALSA's Michael L. Printz Award Committee 2012
YALSA's Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers Committee (2006-2010)
Valencia High School Placentia, CA
Saturday, September 04, 2010
A (school) year of Advocacy
Since my goal for this year is advocacy, I thought I'd try to come up with one thing per day to promote the library. I don't think I can promise to post every day, but over the course of a full year, I might be able to come up with 180 things to do.
September
Week 1
Day 1: Welcome everyone back with a smile (yeah, this is a note to self, stop grumbling about going back to school and let everyone know how excited you are to be working with them this year).
Day 2: If you are not ready to check out books, have lots of free stuff so students don't go away empty handed. We have magazines, book covers, bookmarks, and some discards from last year, so if a teacher is assigning students to have a book in their hand, they can walk away with one.
Day 3: Bulletin Boards and Displays. Show off those new books and Advertise your great resources. Themes for September are:
o Welcome Back
o “All Star Cast” Staff Bulletin Board including TA’s photographs
o Banned Books Week, “Don’t Read This!”
o Remembering September 11 “Never forget,” “United we Stand.” Remember today's students may have questions, they were too young to remember.
o “How to Survive High School” (books that take place in schools)
o Hispanic Heritage Month
o Advertise new books “Check out these NEW books”
o Talk like a pirate day (pirate books) September 19th
Haven't tried this one, but maybe in honor of labor day, a Caesar Chavez biography and an educational display about labor day?
Day 4: Make sure your hours are clearly posted with a nice sign. Here's one from Demco.
Day 5: Make signs and put announcements in the bulletin, on the website, and on the staff e-mail your GRAND OPENING. In the past I have had a teacher invitation event with cookies and tea when we were introducing new staff or books.
Week 2
Day 6: Take your show on the road! If your library is closed because of testing, full of shipments of textbooks, etc., take a cart of books directly to the classroom to get books in the hands of kids as soon as possible. Some circulation systems such as Alexandria allow for remote log in and circulation. If not, the old paper and pencil will work, just enter the transactions as soon as your system is up and running.
Day 7: Partner with a community organization to offer extended hours. We partner with YMCA's Anaheim Achieves, which offers students a safe place to be, activities, snacks, and tutoring in our facility from the time school lets out until 6:00 PM.
Day 8: Advertise your databases and passwords to staff and students by creating a flyer, bookmark, or brochure.
Day 9: Join PTSA. Connect with your parent community by sending messages through their e-mail listing or newsletter. Your student information system or library circulation system may also have a database of parent e-mails you can send library news from.
Day 10: Have information available about your local public libraries and promote library card sign up month. Advertise their programs and services.
Week 3
Day 11: Host a new teacher orientation. Create a packet for them of the services you offer to help out new teachers. A good book for new teachers is The First Days of School by Harry Wong.
Day 12: Attend as many staff meetings and department meetings as you can to stay in the know. Our Teacher Librarians are considered Department Chairpersons and attend all Department Chair meetings as well. Make yourself a member of your school's English, Reading, and English Language Development departments.
Day 13: Make sure your library website is easily accessible from the school webpage.
Day 14: Hold a bookmark contest. We hold a bookmark contest twice yearly for Back to School Night and Open House.
Day 15: Open the library for back to school night. Give out information such as your database passwords.
Week 4
Day 16: Celebrate Banned Books Week. This is the last week of September each year. Use this as an opportunity to review your district's challenge of instructional materials policy with staff in a newsletter.
Day 17: Make a display for Banned Books Week. We cover our books with plain paper bags and write or stamp CENSORED on the cover (search "RED SELF-INKING RUBBER STAMP CENSORED" on e-Bay). Then we write on the back a quote from the Banned Books Resource Guide telling why it was challenged or banned. This can also be given as an assignment for TA's or a class project.
Day 18: Create Banned Books Week Bookmarks. Copy down the challenge history from the Banned Books Resource Guide (available from the ALA Store) on to a bookmark. Put the bookmarks in the books. This can be given as an assignment for TA's or a class project.
Day 19:
Put in an announcement to the bulletin regarding Banned Books Week:
What do The Giver, Harry Potter and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer have in common? They have all been “Banned Books.” That means they were removed from a school or public library because someone did not agree with the ideas expressed in them. People who ban books think they have good reasons; usually book banners feel they are protecting children from ideas that are not suitable for their age level. Although Orangeview’s library has many books that have been banned in other places, these library books have been chosen as appropriate for the junior high level. You are free to read any books in the Orangeview library. Only you and your parents can decide what ideas are right for your family. Come by the library today and celebrate your freedom to read during “Banned Books Week.”
Day 20:Run a powerpoint of banned books and the reasons for banning on one of the library's computers. Joy Millam from Valencia High School has created a great one.
October
Week 5
Day 21: Time to change the displays for October. I usually feature scary books and mysteries. Supernatural Romance is also a popular topic for girls.
o “The Horror, the Horror.”
o “Solve a Mystery”
o Teen Read Week: “What’s your problem?” use problem novels or "edgy fiction"
o Be Afraid…Be VERY Afraid.
o Red Ribbon Week: “Relax, Don’t Do It!” or Red Ribbon Reads (Junior High School) Gang bios, books on drugs, addiction, and alternatives to drug use such as volunteering an community service.
o Stranger than Fiction (UFO’s and unexplained; Ripley’s, Guinness)
Day 22: Have a flexible schedule and post it online so that staff can check availability from their classrooms. We use Google Calendar.
Day 23: Start a Book Club. A good way to start a book club is to start with a Summer Reading Social. See the link above for the activity description.
Day 24: Let your foreign language and English Language Learner teachers know what dictionaries you have available. If you have multiple copies, let students have a year long check out period.
Day 25: Promote local literacy events in your area. The Orange County Festival of Books is held each year in October.
Week 6
Day 26: Celebrate YALSA's Teen Read Week. Register your school to be eligible for neat give-aways from YALSA
Day 27: Give your teachers a break before progress reports are due by giving booktalks. By using Genre as a theme, you can help reinforce a standard.
Day 28: Be a club advisor. Sponsor a literacy group, book club, manga club, or any topic your library users are interested in. Participate in Club Rush to promote your club. Let clubs meet in the library.
Day 29: Take pictures of your TA's doing things to put in a PowerPoint for parents on Back to School Night.
Day 30: When you receive a donation, be sure to thank your donors.
Week 7
Day 31: Get your picture taken on staff picture day. Talk to the yearbook advisor to make sure you are included on the teacher page (I can't tell you how many years I was not even pictured). Even better, see if you can have a whole page dedicated to library activities.
Day 32: Get all the freshman classes in for a library orientation. Collaborate with a freshman teacher on a research assignment so students are getting just in time, relevant instruction. Show students how to find Works Cited information to prepare them for questions on the CST.
Day 33: Get active in your School Site Council or WASC committee and make sure your library is represented in the WASC (accreditation) plan. Meetings are required to be open to the public, so even if you are not a member, you can attend meetings.
Day 34: Make sure your library is represented in the School Plan.
Day 35: Get some business cards. Use them for networking.
Week 8
Day 36: The last week in October is Red Ribbon Week. Wear red and participate in red ribbon week activities.
Day 37: Make a video. Here's one that students at Oxford Academy made for the "I Love My Library" contest.
Day 38: Educate your patrons about "Good Weeds" An advocacy tip from AASL: Advocacy Tip #144 Posted on November 1, 2011 by AASL
Take five minutes to write a story about your experience with outrageously out of date school library materials and the consequences of under-funded school library programs. Email your stories to the ALA Washington Office by writing Ted Wegner (twegner@alawash.org) and Jeff Kratz (jkratz@alawash.org) to help garner support and help influence members of the Senate if a school libraries amendment is re-introduced to ESEA on the Senate floor (which will likely happen).
Day 39: Partner with your Spanish Department to put up a Dia de los Muertos -- Day of the Dead Display.
Day 40: Halloween!!! Dress up. Give out Candy. This is an advertising technique called transfer, that links positive feelings to the library.
November
Week 9
Day 41: Time to change the displays! Themes for November:
o American Indian Heritage
o Historical Fiction
o Veteran’s Day
o Cookbooks, “What’s Cooking?”
o Books with a Thanksgiving Theme
o Library Staff Recommendations “Gobble up a Good Book”
Day 42: When a kid asks you to participate in a fundraiser, say yes. If you don't want the product, make a donation instead.
Day 43: Join your state library association
Day 44: Become familiar with the state library standards. Watch Dr. Bernie Dodge's Keynote, Barbara Jeffus' Message about the Model School Library Standards and Glen Warren's Legislative Update on the CSLA SS Workshop Wiki:
http://cslass2011.wikispaces.com/Workshop+Videos
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb/index.asp
Day 45: Apply for a grant
Week 10
Day 46: Vote! Educate your friends about school and library issues. Make sure they vote too!
Day 47: Join ALA and memberships to YALSA and/or AASL.
Day 48: Go to a library conference to get more advocacy ideas. CSLA meets in November each year.
Day 49: Invite your principal to attend an event.
Day 50: Make your school look good, issue a press release on your event. We got a lot of coverage when the Angels Strike Force came to read to students at Orangeview.
Week 11
Day 51: Promote a local author.
Day 52: Send out useful websites to interested staff/departments, i.e. I thought of you when I saw...
Day 53: Thank your volunteers with book giveaways or gifts from the library store.
Day 54: Start a portfolio to document your impact on student achievement. Directions provided by OSLA The Teacher Librarian's Toolkit for Evidence-Based Practice.
Day 55: Wish all students who come in a Happy Thanksgiving. Have a fun contest like guessing the number of harvest candy corn in a jar.
***Thanksgiving Break***
Week 12
Day 56: When the principal asks you for a favor, say YES! For example, be ready to do a staff development presentation on short notice, or represent the school on committees and at conferences.
Day 57: Visit the ALA's Advocacy Univeristy. Here's an easy one from their Top Ten Action Steps for Frontline School Advocacy: Thank Someone. Tell them what you are thankful for and why it matters.
Day 58: Write a letter about supporting libraries to your newly elected officials. Use tips from School Library Monthly.
Day 59: Make a bulletin board or white board of new releases and when they are available for check out.
Day 60: Have a waiting list, or place holds for the popular new releases.
December
Week 13
Day 61: Change the Displays
o “Read the Movie,” books made into movies
o Fantasy display: Lord of the Rings, Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter, Golden Compass, Spiderwick Chronicles, The Dark is Rising
o “Millions of worlds to explore.” Science Fiction display: I, Robot, Star Wars series, Star Trek series
Day 62: Work with your ASB to put up a giving tree in your library.
Day 63: Place a book order to support a curricular project.
Day 64: Give an extended due date for a classroom project.
Day 65: Have make and take project supplies available for students and teachers to use: stapler, tape, hole punch, scissors, crayons, markers, colored pencils, pencils, pens, ruler, scratch paper and white out.
Week 14
Day 66: Collect pens from companies (Library Store often includes free pens when you order) who use them to advertise and make them available for teachers and students to take for free (ARMY and NAVY are good sources for free stuff too).
Day 67: Partner with your art department to do an art gallery.
Day 68: Let students check out multiple books to read over the holidays.
Day: 69: Give the teachers a break and do a "Read the Movie" booktalk for their class. Feature movie trailers for books made into movies.
Week 15
Day70: When the school has spirit days, show your support and participate.
Day71: Have a snowflake contest and give prizes(idea from Suzanne Rahn).
Day 72: Give books away as gifts to your student assistants and teacher collaborators.
Day 73: Reward your volunteers and student assistants with a gift or hot coco and a cookie tray.
Day 74: Wish everyone who comes in a happy holiday.
***Winter Break***
January
Week 16
Day 75: Change Displays
o What’s your resolution? Big To Do List, Self-Help Books
o MLK Day/Civil Rights
o Survival/Adventure stories
Day 76: Have a Textbook covering workshop. Get local grocery stores to donate paper bags. Collaborate with your art department for supplies. Here's some instructions from my textbook wiki.
Day 77: Post interesting library or education related articles to your Facebook Friends. Make a friends of the library facebook page if your district policy allows. Here's a nice one from Gale Middle School. Follow ALA Advocacy on Facebook at www.tinyurl.com/vote4libs.
Day 78: Promote school activities on a bulletin board or designate a wall for student flyers and announcements.
Day 79: Participate in school Pep Rally events such as faculty sports games.
Week 17
Day 80: Be a technology leader on your campus. Help implement any new technology initiative, be the webmaster or webmistress.
Day 81: Don't reinvent the wheel. Post your documents to a wiki and share with other professionals. See the AUHSD Wiki.
Day 82: Ask your board to adopt the state standards as part of your district's library plan.
Day 83: Start a College sweatshirt day or give a college talk to promote your highly educated status.
Day 84: Eat lunch with others on campus, don't isolate yourself. Start a salad club. Bring the lettuce and invite others to bring dressings and other fixings.
Week 18
Day 85: Publicize your programs to your staff through newsletters. If you don't tell them, they won't know what you are doing.
Day 86: Invite the special education classes to the library for story time and to check out books. Give their classroom a book to keep (you can get lots of good children's books at friends of the library sales for $1.00 or less. (Hal Morris)
Day 87: Visit the take ACTion 4 School Libraries site. Fill out your own ACTion card and ACT!
Day 88: Create a signature line for your e-mail that states you are a teacher librarian. Some librarians even include a picture of what they are currently reading. Here's mine:
Heather Gruenthal, Teacher Librarian
"Your best Internet connection is your Librarian." -- InfoPeople
Day 89: Create a brand or logo for your library that you put on everything. You may want to use some of the images in the CSLA advocacy toolkit.
February
Week 19
Day 90: Change Displays
o African American History Month
o Romance Novels (Valentine’s Day)
o Teacher Recommended ReadingsFebruary
Day 91: Inform your local public libraries about upcoming projects so they can be prepared.
Day 92: Help students place books on hold at the public library if you can't offer it in your collection.
Day 93: Go to a school board meeting and make a short presentation about the effectiveness of your program in raising student achievement. Share statistics on the impact of libraries on student achievement from Library Research Service.
Day 94: Make sure to attend your site's staff development days so you know what is going on. Lead a staff development activity to emphasize your status as a knowledgeable teacher.
Day 95: Get to know your public librarian, especially those offering teen/children's services.
Day 96: Start a success journal (Gilmore-See). You can keep it on a blog, a wiki, or a plain old fashioned paper journal. The idea is to keep track of your progress not only to use as evidence, but to help you recognize your accomplishments. Here's a really good template to get started: Barbara R. Blackburn, Blackburn Consulting Group
Day 97: Join the Leadership Team.
Day 98: Libraries help close the digital divide. Write letters to the editor regarding the importance of books and libraries in closing the gap for haves and have not's.
Day 99: Write an article for your district's website.
Week 21
Day 100: Publish your work in a professional journal. Knowledge Quest (The Journal of AASL), CSLA Journal, School Library Journal, VOYA, and Booklist are all good library related journals.
Day 101: Advertise your programs through bulletin boards, posters, newsletters, displays, announcements.
Day 102: Start a Friends of the Library Group.
Day 103: Start a parent bookshelf in your parent center.
Day 104: Random Acts of Kindness Week. Hold an amnesty day for fines.
Week 22 Start a Stargirl Club to promote Random Acts of Kindness. Give out bookmarks with instructions.
Day 105: Make an effort to know your students by name.
Day 106: Become a mentor for students who need special attention.
Day 107: Put up a media wall with helpful school/community brochures. The AASL produces some brochures for parents, Administrators, teachers, and students on the importance of school libraries.
Day 108: Have a contest. Give Prizes. Guess the candy in a jar, monthly drawings. Twilight Trivia. At the release of each Twilight movie, we had a quiz about the book and gave away prizes such as Twilight themed t-shirts, calendars, and tickets to see the movie.
Day 109: Make sure reading is represented in your school's Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLR's)
March
Week 23
Day 110: Change Displays
o Folktales and Fairytales (with St. Patrick’s Day)
o Fairytales Retold, “Happily Ever After?”
o Read Across America Week – Read to a child today!
o Books for Boys and Books for Girls
o Oh, The Places you will go (Travel Guides)
Day 111: Celebrate Read Across America Week. Let your teachers know about what is happening in the announcements or a newsletter.
Day 112: Organize a field trip of students to read to lower grade levels or your special education classes.
Day 113: Give everyone who visits the library this week a raffle ticket to win free books.
Day 114: Get community members to come to your library and read books to your students. Local sports organizations may be willing to help (One year we got the Angel's Strike Force to come and read).
Week 24
Day 115: Host a book fair. I have used Scholastic, and Mrs. Nelson's. You can also host an in-store event with Barnes and Noble.
Day 116: Use a student crew to help set up and take down. Reward them with books.
Day 117: Give away books to teachers who participate in the classroom library wish list (Scholastic gives an incentive for this).
Day 118: Host a family event and partner with a student group to provide childcare for parents. We have used Latino Club, Octagon Club, Avid, Cheerleaders, and students in Child Development classes (ROP).
Day 119: Let Teachers nominate students for reading awards. Give away books to the students with your book fair proceeds (reader awards quarterly)
Week 25
Day 120: Read 50 Ways to Love your Library, produced by the Saskatchewan School Library Association, Fall 2008.
Day 121: Have a student wish list available on the counter and online and keep a list of student requests to purchase when funds become available. Publicize your wish list on Amazon.com.
Day 122: Develop recommended reading lists for quick reader's advisory. See the RIYL Wiki for ideas.
Day 123: Write to a legislator. Use School Library Language for Legislators from School Library Monthly
Day 124: Create a Library Brochure of services to pass out at the parent night for incoming students.
Week 26:
Day 125: Celebrate Teen Tech Week Richton Park Public Library had a teen blog workshop.
Day 126: Promote Teen Tech Week all year long
Day 127: Make sure your school has a technology plan to update technology as funding comes available. Report on the status of your technology yearly to the principal so they are aware of what is available for teachers and staff.
Day 128: Make sure you have your database passwords available all year long near the search stations.
Day 129: Read Deb Stanley's Advocacy Through Action Blog
***Spring Break***
April
Week 27
Day 130: Change Displays
o Multicultural (International Week)
o Funny Books (April Fool’s)
o Poetry (National Poetry Month)
o National Library Week (books that involve libraries or librarians)
Day 131: Partner with an English or Art Teacher to make a poetry museum (Suzanne Rahn)
Day 132: Hold an event during Open House such as an "Open Mic" or "Poetry Slam"
Day 133: Celebrate a poem in my pocket day.
Day 134: Go to a PTSA Meeting and talk about the services your library offers to improve student achievement.
Week 28
Day 135: If you care about it, blog about it. I am a guest blogger at the Gatekeeper's Post.
Day 136: Testing season begins. Have a test preparation workshop. Gale's Testing and Education Reference Center has great test prep materials.
Day 137: Create a testing tips bookmark or handout.
Day 138: Read this Blog: http://advocate4libraries.csla.net/2011/06/identifying-brand-advocates-for.html
Day 139: Start a library club of students to help with advocacy efforts. Have students write letters to your School Board and Superintendent about how the library has helped their academic achievement.
Week 29
Day 140: Publish a poetry journal.
Day 141: Read the Blog: AASL's Advocacy Tip of the Day. Sign up to receive the AASL Advocacy Tip of the Day.
Day 142: Phone a legislator:
Dianne Feinstein (D)
Website: feinstein.senate.gov
Washington, D.C. Office:
331 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-0504
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
San Francisco Office:
One Post Street,
Suite 2450
San Francisco, California 94104
Phone: (415) 393-0707
Fax: (415) 393-0710
Barbara Boxer (D)
Website: boxer.senate.gov
Washington, D.C. Office:
112 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-0505
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 224-0454
Oakland Office:
70 Washington Street,
Suite 203
Oakland, California 94607
Phone: (510) 286-8537
Fax: (202) 224-0454
Day 143: Find out who your Congressmen are and e-mail or write them a letter about the importance of funding libraries. You can look up your Congressmen and other local leaders on the NEA Legislative Action Center.
Day 144: write a letter to the editor in your local paper. Stephen Krashen does this all the time in support of libraries. He has posted his letters for reference on his site.
Week 30
Day 145: Visit the California Library Association's advocacy site to see what legislative items need your action now!
Day 146: Purchase school spirit wear.
Day 147: Make READ Posters for your Staff
Day 148: Purchase celebrity READ posters from the ALA Graphics Store
Day 149: Make READ Posters for your Students
Week 31
Day 150: Start a bookcrossing zone
Day 151: Host an Author Visit. Check with your local Barnes and Noble to see what authors they have visiting that might be willing to do a school visit for free.
Day 152: Participate in the ALA's National Library Legislative Day. Important Links
National Library Legislative Day
YALSA Advocacy Tools
ALA Washington Office
District Dispatch
Day 153: Put together a procedures manual that has all the district documents that pertain to the library as well as any written policies you have developed. This may come in handy when you need to justify why you do things a certain way.
Day 154: Follow Jackie Siminitus' Advocacy Blog
May
Week 32
Day 155: Change bulletin boards and displays
o Be a Sport, Turn in your books on time
o Memorial Day Armed forces Display
o “Choose Your Adventure” Adventure Books
o “Make your Escape” Crime Thrillers
Day 156: Teacher Appreciation Week. Leave treats in areas where teachers frequent, such as the lounge or copy room. School supplies are always needed and never expire.
Day 157: If you find a must read curriculum book or fiction book, gift as many copies as you can to staff members.
Day 158: Troll the friends of the library book sales from your public libraries and find good deals to release in your Bookcrossing Zone, or to start a "one book" book club. Advertise to teachers as free books for summer reading.
Day 159: Visit the Teen Librarian's Toolbox for great shelf-talker signs and programming ideas.
Week 33
Day 160: If you have a reading program such as Accelerated Reader or Reading Counts, reward your top readers or develop a reading program to support it.
Day 161: Display student's college acceptance letters.
Day 162: Mark your summer calendar to participate in district days, when your congressmen are at home in their district office.
Day 163: Find out what programs your local public libraries are running over the summer and advertise them.
Day 164: Find out when your PTSA has elections. Welcome the new president and offer your assistance. Know their e-mail and phone number. Communicate often.
June
Week 34
Day 165: Change Bulletin Boards and Displays
o Advertise summer reading programs for your public libraries “Don’t get dumber in the summer – READ!”
o Summer Reading Lists
o College/careers: Who do you want to be?
o Goodbye and Good luck to Seniors
o College Acceptances
Day 166: Promote the summer reading list of your school. If there isn't one, then make your own "must read this summer" list.
Day 167: Make sure you get a yearbook from the yearbook staff. Maintain an archive of all yearbooks. This may be the only record of school history.
Day 168: Subscribe to local papers. Post any news articles about the school on a bulletin board, or keep a scrapbook on the counter.
Day 169: Develop a yearbook policy regarding who can view yearbooks and make copies. This is especially important if someone famous attended your school.
Day 170: Toot your own horn. Pass it on...Share everything you do with the library community. Your ideas will help other librarians improve their program.
Week 35
Day 171: Professional Networking with listservs, they usually can answer every patron's "stumper." CALIBK12, YALSABK, LM_NET.
Day 172: If you will be returning to your position next year, be sure to thank all your library supporters. Use the AASL's School Library Program Health Toolkit to build a long term advocacy plan.
Day 173: Have a party for your TA's, Friends of the Library or Library Club.
Day 174: Count up your library use from the year's sign in sheets. Report to the principal how highly used your facility is.
Day 175: Write a library plan for your library and make sure to share it with key administrators.
Week 36
Day 176: Attend the year end awards banquet and give a reading award for your top reader.
Day 177: Give a summary of the year's library programs to your PTSA president so they know how you have contributed to academic achievement.
Day 178: Help your teachers collect textbooks with these helpful hints. Put out an all call informing parents that all textbooks are due prior to finals.
Day 179: Allow summer check outs for returning students and teachers. Start a "Don't get dumber in the summer" book club using "book bundles" or "summer series."
Day 180: Do professional reading over the summer. A good place to start is Simply Indispensable by Janice Gilmore-See. Libraries Unlimited. 2010.
September
Week 1
Day 1: Welcome everyone back with a smile (yeah, this is a note to self, stop grumbling about going back to school and let everyone know how excited you are to be working with them this year).
Day 2: If you are not ready to check out books, have lots of free stuff so students don't go away empty handed. We have magazines, book covers, bookmarks, and some discards from last year, so if a teacher is assigning students to have a book in their hand, they can walk away with one.
Day 3: Bulletin Boards and Displays. Show off those new books and Advertise your great resources. Themes for September are:
o Welcome Back
o “All Star Cast” Staff Bulletin Board including TA’s photographs
o Banned Books Week, “Don’t Read This!”
o Remembering September 11 “Never forget,” “United we Stand.” Remember today's students may have questions, they were too young to remember.
o “How to Survive High School” (books that take place in schools)
o Hispanic Heritage Month
o Advertise new books “Check out these NEW books”
o Talk like a pirate day (pirate books) September 19th
Haven't tried this one, but maybe in honor of labor day, a Caesar Chavez biography and an educational display about labor day?
Day 4: Make sure your hours are clearly posted with a nice sign. Here's one from Demco.
Day 5: Make signs and put announcements in the bulletin, on the website, and on the staff e-mail your GRAND OPENING. In the past I have had a teacher invitation event with cookies and tea when we were introducing new staff or books.
Week 2
Day 6: Take your show on the road! If your library is closed because of testing, full of shipments of textbooks, etc., take a cart of books directly to the classroom to get books in the hands of kids as soon as possible. Some circulation systems such as Alexandria allow for remote log in and circulation. If not, the old paper and pencil will work, just enter the transactions as soon as your system is up and running.
Day 7: Partner with a community organization to offer extended hours. We partner with YMCA's Anaheim Achieves, which offers students a safe place to be, activities, snacks, and tutoring in our facility from the time school lets out until 6:00 PM.
Day 8: Advertise your databases and passwords to staff and students by creating a flyer, bookmark, or brochure.
Day 9: Join PTSA. Connect with your parent community by sending messages through their e-mail listing or newsletter. Your student information system or library circulation system may also have a database of parent e-mails you can send library news from.
Day 10: Have information available about your local public libraries and promote library card sign up month. Advertise their programs and services.
Week 3
Day 11: Host a new teacher orientation. Create a packet for them of the services you offer to help out new teachers. A good book for new teachers is The First Days of School by Harry Wong.
Day 12: Attend as many staff meetings and department meetings as you can to stay in the know. Our Teacher Librarians are considered Department Chairpersons and attend all Department Chair meetings as well. Make yourself a member of your school's English, Reading, and English Language Development departments.
Day 13: Make sure your library website is easily accessible from the school webpage.
Day 14: Hold a bookmark contest. We hold a bookmark contest twice yearly for Back to School Night and Open House.
Day 15: Open the library for back to school night. Give out information such as your database passwords.
Week 4
Day 16: Celebrate Banned Books Week. This is the last week of September each year. Use this as an opportunity to review your district's challenge of instructional materials policy with staff in a newsletter.
Day 17: Make a display for Banned Books Week. We cover our books with plain paper bags and write or stamp CENSORED on the cover (search "RED SELF-INKING RUBBER STAMP CENSORED" on e-Bay). Then we write on the back a quote from the Banned Books Resource Guide telling why it was challenged or banned. This can also be given as an assignment for TA's or a class project.
Day 18: Create Banned Books Week Bookmarks. Copy down the challenge history from the Banned Books Resource Guide (available from the ALA Store) on to a bookmark. Put the bookmarks in the books. This can be given as an assignment for TA's or a class project.
Day 19:
Put in an announcement to the bulletin regarding Banned Books Week:
What do The Giver, Harry Potter and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer have in common? They have all been “Banned Books.” That means they were removed from a school or public library because someone did not agree with the ideas expressed in them. People who ban books think they have good reasons; usually book banners feel they are protecting children from ideas that are not suitable for their age level. Although Orangeview’s library has many books that have been banned in other places, these library books have been chosen as appropriate for the junior high level. You are free to read any books in the Orangeview library. Only you and your parents can decide what ideas are right for your family. Come by the library today and celebrate your freedom to read during “Banned Books Week.”
Day 20:Run a powerpoint of banned books and the reasons for banning on one of the library's computers. Joy Millam from Valencia High School has created a great one.
October
Week 5
Day 21: Time to change the displays for October. I usually feature scary books and mysteries. Supernatural Romance is also a popular topic for girls.
o “The Horror, the Horror.”
o “Solve a Mystery”
o Teen Read Week: “What’s your problem?” use problem novels or "edgy fiction"
o Be Afraid…Be VERY Afraid.
o Red Ribbon Week: “Relax, Don’t Do It!” or Red Ribbon Reads (Junior High School) Gang bios, books on drugs, addiction, and alternatives to drug use such as volunteering an community service.
o Stranger than Fiction (UFO’s and unexplained; Ripley’s, Guinness)
Day 22: Have a flexible schedule and post it online so that staff can check availability from their classrooms. We use Google Calendar.
Day 23: Start a Book Club. A good way to start a book club is to start with a Summer Reading Social. See the link above for the activity description.
Day 24: Let your foreign language and English Language Learner teachers know what dictionaries you have available. If you have multiple copies, let students have a year long check out period.
Day 25: Promote local literacy events in your area. The Orange County Festival of Books is held each year in October.
Week 6
Day 26: Celebrate YALSA's Teen Read Week. Register your school to be eligible for neat give-aways from YALSA
Day 27: Give your teachers a break before progress reports are due by giving booktalks. By using Genre as a theme, you can help reinforce a standard.
Day 28: Be a club advisor. Sponsor a literacy group, book club, manga club, or any topic your library users are interested in. Participate in Club Rush to promote your club. Let clubs meet in the library.
Day 29: Take pictures of your TA's doing things to put in a PowerPoint for parents on Back to School Night.
Day 30: When you receive a donation, be sure to thank your donors.
Week 7
Day 31: Get your picture taken on staff picture day. Talk to the yearbook advisor to make sure you are included on the teacher page (I can't tell you how many years I was not even pictured). Even better, see if you can have a whole page dedicated to library activities.
Day 32: Get all the freshman classes in for a library orientation. Collaborate with a freshman teacher on a research assignment so students are getting just in time, relevant instruction. Show students how to find Works Cited information to prepare them for questions on the CST.
Day 33: Get active in your School Site Council or WASC committee and make sure your library is represented in the WASC (accreditation) plan. Meetings are required to be open to the public, so even if you are not a member, you can attend meetings.
Day 34: Make sure your library is represented in the School Plan.
Day 35: Get some business cards. Use them for networking.
Week 8
Day 36: The last week in October is Red Ribbon Week. Wear red and participate in red ribbon week activities.
Day 37: Make a video. Here's one that students at Oxford Academy made for the "I Love My Library" contest.
Day 38: Educate your patrons about "Good Weeds" An advocacy tip from AASL: Advocacy Tip #144 Posted on November 1, 2011 by AASL
Take five minutes to write a story about your experience with outrageously out of date school library materials and the consequences of under-funded school library programs. Email your stories to the ALA Washington Office by writing Ted Wegner (twegner@alawash.org) and Jeff Kratz (jkratz@alawash.org) to help garner support and help influence members of the Senate if a school libraries amendment is re-introduced to ESEA on the Senate floor (which will likely happen).
Day 39: Partner with your Spanish Department to put up a Dia de los Muertos -- Day of the Dead Display.
Day 40: Halloween!!! Dress up. Give out Candy. This is an advertising technique called transfer, that links positive feelings to the library.
November
Week 9
Day 41: Time to change the displays! Themes for November:
o American Indian Heritage
o Historical Fiction
o Veteran’s Day
o Cookbooks, “What’s Cooking?”
o Books with a Thanksgiving Theme
o Library Staff Recommendations “Gobble up a Good Book”
Day 42: When a kid asks you to participate in a fundraiser, say yes. If you don't want the product, make a donation instead.
Day 43: Join your state library association
Day 44: Become familiar with the state library standards. Watch Dr. Bernie Dodge's Keynote, Barbara Jeffus' Message about the Model School Library Standards and Glen Warren's Legislative Update on the CSLA SS Workshop Wiki:
http://cslass2011.wikispaces.com/Workshop+Videos
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb/index.asp
Day 45: Apply for a grant
Week 10
Day 46: Vote! Educate your friends about school and library issues. Make sure they vote too!
Day 47: Join ALA and memberships to YALSA and/or AASL.
Day 48: Go to a library conference to get more advocacy ideas. CSLA meets in November each year.
Day 49: Invite your principal to attend an event.
Day 50: Make your school look good, issue a press release on your event. We got a lot of coverage when the Angels Strike Force came to read to students at Orangeview.
Week 11
Day 51: Promote a local author.
Day 52: Send out useful websites to interested staff/departments, i.e. I thought of you when I saw...
Day 53: Thank your volunteers with book giveaways or gifts from the library store.
Day 54: Start a portfolio to document your impact on student achievement. Directions provided by OSLA The Teacher Librarian's Toolkit for Evidence-Based Practice.
Day 55: Wish all students who come in a Happy Thanksgiving. Have a fun contest like guessing the number of harvest candy corn in a jar.
***Thanksgiving Break***
Week 12
Day 56: When the principal asks you for a favor, say YES! For example, be ready to do a staff development presentation on short notice, or represent the school on committees and at conferences.
Day 57: Visit the ALA's Advocacy Univeristy. Here's an easy one from their Top Ten Action Steps for Frontline School Advocacy: Thank Someone. Tell them what you are thankful for and why it matters.
Day 58: Write a letter about supporting libraries to your newly elected officials. Use tips from School Library Monthly.
Day 59: Make a bulletin board or white board of new releases and when they are available for check out.
Day 60: Have a waiting list, or place holds for the popular new releases.
December
Week 13
Day 61: Change the Displays
o “Read the Movie,” books made into movies
o Fantasy display: Lord of the Rings, Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter, Golden Compass, Spiderwick Chronicles, The Dark is Rising
o “Millions of worlds to explore.” Science Fiction display: I, Robot, Star Wars series, Star Trek series
Day 62: Work with your ASB to put up a giving tree in your library.
Day 63: Place a book order to support a curricular project.
Day 64: Give an extended due date for a classroom project.
Day 65: Have make and take project supplies available for students and teachers to use: stapler, tape, hole punch, scissors, crayons, markers, colored pencils, pencils, pens, ruler, scratch paper and white out.
Week 14
Day 66: Collect pens from companies (Library Store often includes free pens when you order) who use them to advertise and make them available for teachers and students to take for free (ARMY and NAVY are good sources for free stuff too).
Day 67: Partner with your art department to do an art gallery.
Day 68: Let students check out multiple books to read over the holidays.
Day: 69: Give the teachers a break and do a "Read the Movie" booktalk for their class. Feature movie trailers for books made into movies.
Week 15
Day70: When the school has spirit days, show your support and participate.
Day71: Have a snowflake contest and give prizes(idea from Suzanne Rahn).
Day 72: Give books away as gifts to your student assistants and teacher collaborators.
Day 73: Reward your volunteers and student assistants with a gift or hot coco and a cookie tray.
Day 74: Wish everyone who comes in a happy holiday.
***Winter Break***
January
Week 16
Day 75: Change Displays
o What’s your resolution? Big To Do List, Self-Help Books
o MLK Day/Civil Rights
o Survival/Adventure stories
Day 76: Have a Textbook covering workshop. Get local grocery stores to donate paper bags. Collaborate with your art department for supplies. Here's some instructions from my textbook wiki.
Day 77: Post interesting library or education related articles to your Facebook Friends. Make a friends of the library facebook page if your district policy allows. Here's a nice one from Gale Middle School. Follow ALA Advocacy on Facebook at www.tinyurl.com/vote4libs.
Day 78: Promote school activities on a bulletin board or designate a wall for student flyers and announcements.
Day 79: Participate in school Pep Rally events such as faculty sports games.
Week 17
Day 80: Be a technology leader on your campus. Help implement any new technology initiative, be the webmaster or webmistress.
Day 81: Don't reinvent the wheel. Post your documents to a wiki and share with other professionals. See the AUHSD Wiki.
Day 82: Ask your board to adopt the state standards as part of your district's library plan.
Day 83: Start a College sweatshirt day or give a college talk to promote your highly educated status.
Day 84: Eat lunch with others on campus, don't isolate yourself. Start a salad club. Bring the lettuce and invite others to bring dressings and other fixings.
Week 18
Day 85: Publicize your programs to your staff through newsletters. If you don't tell them, they won't know what you are doing.
Day 86: Invite the special education classes to the library for story time and to check out books. Give their classroom a book to keep (you can get lots of good children's books at friends of the library sales for $1.00 or less. (Hal Morris)
Day 87: Visit the take ACTion 4 School Libraries site. Fill out your own ACTion card and ACT!
Day 88: Create a signature line for your e-mail that states you are a teacher librarian. Some librarians even include a picture of what they are currently reading. Here's mine:
Heather Gruenthal, Teacher Librarian
"Your best Internet connection is your Librarian." -- InfoPeople
Day 89: Create a brand or logo for your library that you put on everything. You may want to use some of the images in the CSLA advocacy toolkit.
February
Week 19
Day 90: Change Displays
o African American History Month
o Romance Novels (Valentine’s Day)
o Teacher Recommended ReadingsFebruary
Day 91: Inform your local public libraries about upcoming projects so they can be prepared.
Day 92: Help students place books on hold at the public library if you can't offer it in your collection.
Day 93: Go to a school board meeting and make a short presentation about the effectiveness of your program in raising student achievement. Share statistics on the impact of libraries on student achievement from Library Research Service.
Day 94: Make sure to attend your site's staff development days so you know what is going on. Lead a staff development activity to emphasize your status as a knowledgeable teacher.
Day 95: Get to know your public librarian, especially those offering teen/children's services.
Day 96: Start a success journal (Gilmore-See). You can keep it on a blog, a wiki, or a plain old fashioned paper journal. The idea is to keep track of your progress not only to use as evidence, but to help you recognize your accomplishments. Here's a really good template to get started: Barbara R. Blackburn, Blackburn Consulting Group
Day 97: Join the Leadership Team.
Day 98: Libraries help close the digital divide. Write letters to the editor regarding the importance of books and libraries in closing the gap for haves and have not's.
Day 99: Write an article for your district's website.
Week 21
Day 100: Publish your work in a professional journal. Knowledge Quest (The Journal of AASL), CSLA Journal, School Library Journal, VOYA, and Booklist are all good library related journals.
Day 101: Advertise your programs through bulletin boards, posters, newsletters, displays, announcements.
Day 102: Start a Friends of the Library Group.
Day 103: Start a parent bookshelf in your parent center.
Day 104: Random Acts of Kindness Week. Hold an amnesty day for fines.
Week 22 Start a Stargirl Club to promote Random Acts of Kindness. Give out bookmarks with instructions.
Day 105: Make an effort to know your students by name.
Day 106: Become a mentor for students who need special attention.
Day 107: Put up a media wall with helpful school/community brochures. The AASL produces some brochures for parents, Administrators, teachers, and students on the importance of school libraries.
Day 108: Have a contest. Give Prizes. Guess the candy in a jar, monthly drawings. Twilight Trivia. At the release of each Twilight movie, we had a quiz about the book and gave away prizes such as Twilight themed t-shirts, calendars, and tickets to see the movie.
Day 109: Make sure reading is represented in your school's Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLR's)
March
Week 23
Day 110: Change Displays
o Folktales and Fairytales (with St. Patrick’s Day)
o Fairytales Retold, “Happily Ever After?”
o Read Across America Week – Read to a child today!
o Books for Boys and Books for Girls
o Oh, The Places you will go (Travel Guides)
Day 111: Celebrate Read Across America Week. Let your teachers know about what is happening in the announcements or a newsletter.
Day 112: Organize a field trip of students to read to lower grade levels or your special education classes.
Day 113: Give everyone who visits the library this week a raffle ticket to win free books.
Day 114: Get community members to come to your library and read books to your students. Local sports organizations may be willing to help (One year we got the Angel's Strike Force to come and read).
Week 24
Day 115: Host a book fair. I have used Scholastic, and Mrs. Nelson's. You can also host an in-store event with Barnes and Noble.
Day 116: Use a student crew to help set up and take down. Reward them with books.
Day 117: Give away books to teachers who participate in the classroom library wish list (Scholastic gives an incentive for this).
Day 118: Host a family event and partner with a student group to provide childcare for parents. We have used Latino Club, Octagon Club, Avid, Cheerleaders, and students in Child Development classes (ROP).
Day 119: Let Teachers nominate students for reading awards. Give away books to the students with your book fair proceeds (reader awards quarterly)
Week 25
Day 120: Read 50 Ways to Love your Library, produced by the Saskatchewan School Library Association, Fall 2008.
Day 121: Have a student wish list available on the counter and online and keep a list of student requests to purchase when funds become available. Publicize your wish list on Amazon.com.
Day 122: Develop recommended reading lists for quick reader's advisory. See the RIYL Wiki for ideas.
Day 123: Write to a legislator. Use School Library Language for Legislators from School Library Monthly
Day 124: Create a Library Brochure of services to pass out at the parent night for incoming students.
Week 26:
Day 125: Celebrate Teen Tech Week Richton Park Public Library had a teen blog workshop.
Day 126: Promote Teen Tech Week all year long
Day 127: Make sure your school has a technology plan to update technology as funding comes available. Report on the status of your technology yearly to the principal so they are aware of what is available for teachers and staff.
Day 128: Make sure you have your database passwords available all year long near the search stations.
Day 129: Read Deb Stanley's Advocacy Through Action Blog
***Spring Break***
April
Week 27
Day 130: Change Displays
o Multicultural (International Week)
o Funny Books (April Fool’s)
o Poetry (National Poetry Month)
o National Library Week (books that involve libraries or librarians)
Day 131: Partner with an English or Art Teacher to make a poetry museum (Suzanne Rahn)
Day 132: Hold an event during Open House such as an "Open Mic" or "Poetry Slam"
Day 133: Celebrate a poem in my pocket day.
Day 134: Go to a PTSA Meeting and talk about the services your library offers to improve student achievement.
Week 28
Day 135: If you care about it, blog about it. I am a guest blogger at the Gatekeeper's Post.
Day 136: Testing season begins. Have a test preparation workshop. Gale's Testing and Education Reference Center has great test prep materials.
Day 137: Create a testing tips bookmark or handout.
Day 138: Read this Blog: http://advocate4libraries.csla.net/2011/06/identifying-brand-advocates-for.html
Day 139: Start a library club of students to help with advocacy efforts. Have students write letters to your School Board and Superintendent about how the library has helped their academic achievement.
Week 29
Day 140: Publish a poetry journal.
Day 141: Read the Blog: AASL's Advocacy Tip of the Day. Sign up to receive the AASL Advocacy Tip of the Day.
Day 142: Phone a legislator:
Dianne Feinstein (D)
Website: feinstein.senate.gov
Washington, D.C. Office:
331 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-0504
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
San Francisco Office:
One Post Street,
Suite 2450
San Francisco, California 94104
Phone: (415) 393-0707
Fax: (415) 393-0710
Barbara Boxer (D)
Website: boxer.senate.gov
Washington, D.C. Office:
112 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-0505
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 224-0454
Oakland Office:
70 Washington Street,
Suite 203
Oakland, California 94607
Phone: (510) 286-8537
Fax: (202) 224-0454
Day 143: Find out who your Congressmen are and e-mail or write them a letter about the importance of funding libraries. You can look up your Congressmen and other local leaders on the NEA Legislative Action Center.
Day 144: write a letter to the editor in your local paper. Stephen Krashen does this all the time in support of libraries. He has posted his letters for reference on his site.
Week 30
Day 145: Visit the California Library Association's advocacy site to see what legislative items need your action now!
Day 146: Purchase school spirit wear.
Day 147: Make READ Posters for your Staff
Day 148: Purchase celebrity READ posters from the ALA Graphics Store
Day 149: Make READ Posters for your Students
Week 31
Day 150: Start a bookcrossing zone
Day 151: Host an Author Visit. Check with your local Barnes and Noble to see what authors they have visiting that might be willing to do a school visit for free.
Day 152: Participate in the ALA's National Library Legislative Day. Important Links
National Library Legislative Day
YALSA Advocacy Tools
ALA Washington Office
District Dispatch
Day 153: Put together a procedures manual that has all the district documents that pertain to the library as well as any written policies you have developed. This may come in handy when you need to justify why you do things a certain way.
Day 154: Follow Jackie Siminitus' Advocacy Blog
May
Week 32
Day 155: Change bulletin boards and displays
o Be a Sport, Turn in your books on time
o Memorial Day Armed forces Display
o “Choose Your Adventure” Adventure Books
o “Make your Escape” Crime Thrillers
Day 156: Teacher Appreciation Week. Leave treats in areas where teachers frequent, such as the lounge or copy room. School supplies are always needed and never expire.
Day 157: If you find a must read curriculum book or fiction book, gift as many copies as you can to staff members.
Day 158: Troll the friends of the library book sales from your public libraries and find good deals to release in your Bookcrossing Zone, or to start a "one book" book club. Advertise to teachers as free books for summer reading.
Day 159: Visit the Teen Librarian's Toolbox for great shelf-talker signs and programming ideas.
Week 33
Day 160: If you have a reading program such as Accelerated Reader or Reading Counts, reward your top readers or develop a reading program to support it.
Day 161: Display student's college acceptance letters.
Day 162: Mark your summer calendar to participate in district days, when your congressmen are at home in their district office.
Day 163: Find out what programs your local public libraries are running over the summer and advertise them.
Day 164: Find out when your PTSA has elections. Welcome the new president and offer your assistance. Know their e-mail and phone number. Communicate often.
June
Week 34
Day 165: Change Bulletin Boards and Displays
o Advertise summer reading programs for your public libraries “Don’t get dumber in the summer – READ!”
o Summer Reading Lists
o College/careers: Who do you want to be?
o Goodbye and Good luck to Seniors
o College Acceptances
Day 166: Promote the summer reading list of your school. If there isn't one, then make your own "must read this summer" list.
Day 167: Make sure you get a yearbook from the yearbook staff. Maintain an archive of all yearbooks. This may be the only record of school history.
Day 168: Subscribe to local papers. Post any news articles about the school on a bulletin board, or keep a scrapbook on the counter.
Day 169: Develop a yearbook policy regarding who can view yearbooks and make copies. This is especially important if someone famous attended your school.
Day 170: Toot your own horn. Pass it on...Share everything you do with the library community. Your ideas will help other librarians improve their program.
Week 35
Day 171: Professional Networking with listservs, they usually can answer every patron's "stumper." CALIBK12, YALSABK, LM_NET.
Day 172: If you will be returning to your position next year, be sure to thank all your library supporters. Use the AASL's School Library Program Health Toolkit to build a long term advocacy plan.
Day 173: Have a party for your TA's, Friends of the Library or Library Club.
Day 174: Count up your library use from the year's sign in sheets. Report to the principal how highly used your facility is.
Day 175: Write a library plan for your library and make sure to share it with key administrators.
Week 36
Day 176: Attend the year end awards banquet and give a reading award for your top reader.
Day 177: Give a summary of the year's library programs to your PTSA president so they know how you have contributed to academic achievement.
Day 178: Help your teachers collect textbooks with these helpful hints. Put out an all call informing parents that all textbooks are due prior to finals.
Day 179: Allow summer check outs for returning students and teachers. Start a "Don't get dumber in the summer" book club using "book bundles" or "summer series."
Day 180: Do professional reading over the summer. A good place to start is Simply Indispensable by Janice Gilmore-See. Libraries Unlimited. 2010.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Advocacy: District Days Coming Soon!
From YAttitudes electronic newsletter
Volume 9, Issue 6, July 2010
Advocacy Moment: Reach Out to Your Legislators During District Days
Congress is out of session August 9 to September 12, a period that many organizations call “District Days” because many senators and representatives spend that time connecting with constituents in their home districts. As you no doubt know, it’s more important than ever to advocate for legislative support for libraries — and this year’s District Days are a perfect time for you to do so. And remember, this year is an election year for all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and many U.S. Senators, so they will appreciate a chance to connect with potential voters!
How can you get involved with District Days?
* Download free brochures (PDF)from YALSA to distribute to your elected officials and stakeholders (or contact us - yalsa@ala.org - to get printed versions, available in packs of 25). These brochures were created using funds from the Friends of YALSA
* Incorporate advocacy and outreach into what you’re already doing. Are you hosting an event to celebrate the end of your summer reading program? Invite your congressional representative to attend! Are you at a school library? Host an open house at the start of the school year and add your representative or senator to the guest list.
* Plan your outreach with free professional development tools: watch a free webinar from ALA’s Washington Office on getting your legislator into your library or check out a presentation on Using District Days and Other Events to Advocate for Teens and Libraries from ALA’s Annual Conference.
* Take advantage of helpful advice from Beth Gallaway on the YALSA Blog’s District Days 101: What Are District Days and Inviting Your Legislator to an Event During District Days
Volume 9, Issue 6, July 2010
Advocacy Moment: Reach Out to Your Legislators During District Days
Congress is out of session August 9 to September 12, a period that many organizations call “District Days” because many senators and representatives spend that time connecting with constituents in their home districts. As you no doubt know, it’s more important than ever to advocate for legislative support for libraries — and this year’s District Days are a perfect time for you to do so. And remember, this year is an election year for all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and many U.S. Senators, so they will appreciate a chance to connect with potential voters!
How can you get involved with District Days?
* Download free brochures (PDF)from YALSA to distribute to your elected officials and stakeholders (or contact us - yalsa@ala.org - to get printed versions, available in packs of 25). These brochures were created using funds from the Friends of YALSA
* Incorporate advocacy and outreach into what you’re already doing. Are you hosting an event to celebrate the end of your summer reading program? Invite your congressional representative to attend! Are you at a school library? Host an open house at the start of the school year and add your representative or senator to the guest list.
* Plan your outreach with free professional development tools: watch a free webinar from ALA’s Washington Office on getting your legislator into your library or check out a presentation on Using District Days and Other Events to Advocate for Teens and Libraries from ALA’s Annual Conference.
* Take advantage of helpful advice from Beth Gallaway on the YALSA Blog’s District Days 101: What Are District Days and Inviting Your Legislator to an Event During District Days
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Meeting with Legislators on Advocacy Day
I had secured appointments with my Congressman, Dana Rohrabacher, and Patrick Scandling, the Legislative Research Assistant of Barbara Boxer.
The ASK:
Fund the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at 300Million
Fund Improving Literacy Through School Libraries at 100Million
Include in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA -- formerly No Child Left Behind) a library and librarian at every school
Meeting with Representative Rohrabacher
I was super worried about my meeting with Rep. Rohrabacher because I knew he was voting against all the initiatives that were being put forth by ALA. A huge stroke of luck, was that I met the director of my local library in Huntington Beach, who had an appointment with Reb. Rohrabacher's legislative assistant immediately following my appointment. Since I was a constituent I had an appointment directly with the Congressman but Stephanie Beverage works in the city and is not a constituent. We decided to team up, which was a great idea, since she had knowledge that directly related to the city library, and I was a constituent, and had access to the Congressman. Stephanie was a great mentor. She came fully prepared with a packet of information regarding the use of the Huntington Beach Library and the programs that directly benefited from the LTSA grant funding we were asking to support.
I was taken aback at how vehemently Representative Rohrabacher spoke against the federal government supporting local libraries. He spoke alarmingly about the size of the deficit, and how soon we'll be selling off the land in America to pay off what we owe to China. Stephanie was very good at directing him back to the topic by explaining how the LTSA grant had helped her library specifically to offer programs that help people help themselves become better educated citizens. Dana Rohrabacher disagreed with the policy of public libraries offering programs. He believes that the mission of the public library is to simply provide the information and that they should not be welfare agencies. Welfare should be left up to religious and volunteer organizations. He thinks that even story time is taking over the role that parents should have in their child's education. He was very knowledgeable about the history of libraries and talked about Carnegie establishing libraries to provide information. Stephanie countered with Carnegie himself called the library a poor man's university.
I chimed in about how as a resident I use the library services, including story time, even though I read to my children at home as well. I also let him know that the public library needs to teach their patrons how to find the information they need through programs because they are not getting it in schools. I then pointed out that our local high school district (Ocean View Unified High School District) now has one librarian for 6 schools, and the elementary schools are being run by clerks who can only check in and out books. There is a gap there that needs to be filled because of a lack of school librarians. I think he was surprised by that (Yeah, my contribution for school libraries!). I did put in THE ASK for ESEA to be reauthorized to include a library and librarian at every school, but he beleives that the states should make those kind of decisions, not the federal government.
Representative Rohrabacher spoke very highly of the Huntington Beach Library and even had some suggestions for improvement. I hope to follow up with asking for his endorsement to support libraries at the local and state level, since that's where he seemed to be directing us.
Meeting with Senator Boxer's Office
My second meeting was much more comfortable, but with my confidence boosted from watching Stephanie Beverage's interaction, I felt much better prepared to go it alone. I met with Patrick Scandling, the Legislative Research Assistant of Barbara Boxer. He mostly just listened and asked a few questions. I was able to give him Stephan Krashen's study published in the CSLA journal which shows the impact that having books available for students can have in reducing the affects of poverty. I advocated for libraries and librarians in every school in the ESEA reauthorization. I mentioned how my daughter in FIRST GRADE was assigned to do a 3 page research paper on an American Symbol, yet there is no librarian in her school. I also included in the packet some advocacy materials from YALSA, and Connie Williams CD: Circulate This: Stories from the School Library. I also told some personal stories regarding the impact that testing has on schools and how unfair linking teacher pay to test scores would be to teachers in poverty areas such as my own district (off the agenda, yes, but i feel so strongly, I had to throw it in).
I don't know if I made a difference in the decision making of these politicians, but I ended up educating myself about these issues so I can better speak to them. I learned a ton about advocacy, and am now more prepared to speak out for libraries and the teens we serve.
The ASK:
Fund the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at 300Million
Fund Improving Literacy Through School Libraries at 100Million
Include in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA -- formerly No Child Left Behind) a library and librarian at every school
Meeting with Representative Rohrabacher
I was super worried about my meeting with Rep. Rohrabacher because I knew he was voting against all the initiatives that were being put forth by ALA. A huge stroke of luck, was that I met the director of my local library in Huntington Beach, who had an appointment with Reb. Rohrabacher's legislative assistant immediately following my appointment. Since I was a constituent I had an appointment directly with the Congressman but Stephanie Beverage works in the city and is not a constituent. We decided to team up, which was a great idea, since she had knowledge that directly related to the city library, and I was a constituent, and had access to the Congressman. Stephanie was a great mentor. She came fully prepared with a packet of information regarding the use of the Huntington Beach Library and the programs that directly benefited from the LTSA grant funding we were asking to support.
I was taken aback at how vehemently Representative Rohrabacher spoke against the federal government supporting local libraries. He spoke alarmingly about the size of the deficit, and how soon we'll be selling off the land in America to pay off what we owe to China. Stephanie was very good at directing him back to the topic by explaining how the LTSA grant had helped her library specifically to offer programs that help people help themselves become better educated citizens. Dana Rohrabacher disagreed with the policy of public libraries offering programs. He believes that the mission of the public library is to simply provide the information and that they should not be welfare agencies. Welfare should be left up to religious and volunteer organizations. He thinks that even story time is taking over the role that parents should have in their child's education. He was very knowledgeable about the history of libraries and talked about Carnegie establishing libraries to provide information. Stephanie countered with Carnegie himself called the library a poor man's university.
I chimed in about how as a resident I use the library services, including story time, even though I read to my children at home as well. I also let him know that the public library needs to teach their patrons how to find the information they need through programs because they are not getting it in schools. I then pointed out that our local high school district (Ocean View Unified High School District) now has one librarian for 6 schools, and the elementary schools are being run by clerks who can only check in and out books. There is a gap there that needs to be filled because of a lack of school librarians. I think he was surprised by that (Yeah, my contribution for school libraries!). I did put in THE ASK for ESEA to be reauthorized to include a library and librarian at every school, but he beleives that the states should make those kind of decisions, not the federal government.
Representative Rohrabacher spoke very highly of the Huntington Beach Library and even had some suggestions for improvement. I hope to follow up with asking for his endorsement to support libraries at the local and state level, since that's where he seemed to be directing us.
Meeting with Senator Boxer's Office
My second meeting was much more comfortable, but with my confidence boosted from watching Stephanie Beverage's interaction, I felt much better prepared to go it alone. I met with Patrick Scandling, the Legislative Research Assistant of Barbara Boxer. He mostly just listened and asked a few questions. I was able to give him Stephan Krashen's study published in the CSLA journal which shows the impact that having books available for students can have in reducing the affects of poverty. I advocated for libraries and librarians in every school in the ESEA reauthorization. I mentioned how my daughter in FIRST GRADE was assigned to do a 3 page research paper on an American Symbol, yet there is no librarian in her school. I also included in the packet some advocacy materials from YALSA, and Connie Williams CD: Circulate This: Stories from the School Library. I also told some personal stories regarding the impact that testing has on schools and how unfair linking teacher pay to test scores would be to teachers in poverty areas such as my own district (off the agenda, yes, but i feel so strongly, I had to throw it in).
I don't know if I made a difference in the decision making of these politicians, but I ended up educating myself about these issues so I can better speak to them. I learned a ton about advocacy, and am now more prepared to speak out for libraries and the teens we serve.
Tuesday Library Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill
Librarians stormed the Capitol by the busload wearing Red Shirts that said VOTE FOR LIBRARIES on the front. Librarians groups from nearby states drove in just for the day carrying beautiful signs featuring characters from picture books. A favorite sign was: If you can read this, thank a librarian. We all gathered around our state sign. Connie Williams, our Past President of CSLA was holding the sign, and thankfully had staked out a place in the shade to the left of the stage. I brought Marie Slim's buttons and passed them out to everyone from California, and to people who were holding Save School Libraries signs. It was terrific to meet by state, because I got to meet all the people from California (maybe 20 people?). There were a bunch of speeches, and a reading by Lauren Myracle. We then dispersed to bring our message to our representatives on Capitol Hill.
I was able to attend this fabulous event thanks to a travel stipend awarded from the Friends of YALSA. The organization that went into this event was incredible. I think the t-shirts were a key to making this event stand out. While walking to the offices of my legislators in the House and Senate buildings, I got the thumbs up from many people as well as actually getting stopped and asked where they could get my shirt, which says “Vote for Libraries” on the front. These t-shirts were provided by Gale Cengage Learning and say “Power to the User” on the back. If you didn’t get a chance to go to Advocacy Day in Washington D. C., you can still participate in District Days (August 9-September 12, 2010). Read more on the YALSA blog at: http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2010/05/21/district-days-101-writing-to-your-legislator/
I was able to attend this fabulous event thanks to a travel stipend awarded from the Friends of YALSA. The organization that went into this event was incredible. I think the t-shirts were a key to making this event stand out. While walking to the offices of my legislators in the House and Senate buildings, I got the thumbs up from many people as well as actually getting stopped and asked where they could get my shirt, which says “Vote for Libraries” on the front. These t-shirts were provided by Gale Cengage Learning and say “Power to the User” on the back. If you didn’t get a chance to go to Advocacy Day in Washington D. C., you can still participate in District Days (August 9-September 12, 2010). Read more on the YALSA blog at: http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2010/05/21/district-days-101-writing-to-your-legislator/
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday Night Printz Reception
Tweeted at the at the Michael L Printz Reception. And the winner is:
The committee also named four Printz Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
Once Charles Darwin sets his rational mind to marry the religious Emma Wedgeworth, they both must take a leap of faith in order to build a life together.
The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a monstrumologist, races against time to save his town (and himself) from the anthropophagi, a pod of monstrous creatures who prey on humans.
Punkzilla, by Adam Rapp, published by Candlewick Press.
Fourteen-year-old runaway Jamie, homeless and strung out, embarks on a harrowing journey to reach his dying brother.
Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973, by John Barnes, published by Viking Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Reader’s Group.
Karl Shoemaker wants to begin his senior year with a new identity separate from his counseling group, his alcoholic mother and the legacy of his dead father.
The speeches were all really funny. Libba Bray had some great quotes. One of my favorites was "Every time you open a book, it is a strike against ignorance...Unless you are reading something by Sarah Palin."
After the speeches, we got to mingle with the guests and authors. There were many big names there besides the Honorees. I saw Nancy Werlin, who sat right behind us, M. T. Anderson, John Greene, Ellen Hopkins, David Levithan; those were just the ones I recognized. There were probably more.
A student was passing around a booklet to collect signatures of everyone there. I signed and pinned one of the SAVE California Libraries to it (yes, I carried them everywhere!).
The best part of the evening was talking to Rick Yancey and his wife. She was wearing a soft gray sheath dress with ruffles and a matching ruffled silver handbag. Her bejeweled sandals and earrings completed the outfit. My group noticed they were off a bit by themselves, so we struck up a conversation by complementing the outfit. Rick Yancey told us a great scary story about a time they stayed in a resort that was like the hotel in the shining. If you like scary and gross, you should definitely read:
The committee also named four Printz Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
Once Charles Darwin sets his rational mind to marry the religious Emma Wedgeworth, they both must take a leap of faith in order to build a life together.
The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a monstrumologist, races against time to save his town (and himself) from the anthropophagi, a pod of monstrous creatures who prey on humans.
Punkzilla, by Adam Rapp, published by Candlewick Press.
Fourteen-year-old runaway Jamie, homeless and strung out, embarks on a harrowing journey to reach his dying brother.
Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973, by John Barnes, published by Viking Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Reader’s Group.
Karl Shoemaker wants to begin his senior year with a new identity separate from his counseling group, his alcoholic mother and the legacy of his dead father.
The speeches were all really funny. Libba Bray had some great quotes. One of my favorites was "Every time you open a book, it is a strike against ignorance...Unless you are reading something by Sarah Palin."
After the speeches, we got to mingle with the guests and authors. There were many big names there besides the Honorees. I saw Nancy Werlin, who sat right behind us, M. T. Anderson, John Greene, Ellen Hopkins, David Levithan; those were just the ones I recognized. There were probably more.
A student was passing around a booklet to collect signatures of everyone there. I signed and pinned one of the SAVE California Libraries to it (yes, I carried them everywhere!).
The best part of the evening was talking to Rick Yancey and his wife. She was wearing a soft gray sheath dress with ruffles and a matching ruffled silver handbag. Her bejeweled sandals and earrings completed the outfit. My group noticed they were off a bit by themselves, so we struck up a conversation by complementing the outfit. Rick Yancey told us a great scary story about a time they stayed in a resort that was like the hotel in the shining. If you like scary and gross, you should definitely read:
More Exhibit time
I had until 1:30 to go through the exhibit hall. Visited all the big publishers booths to see what they had. Tried not to take too much, because we do get a lot sent to us. Ended up with 2 small boxes to FedEX. Not sure how much it will cost, as I use my husband's account (he works for the owners of FedEx). A highlight was that Ellen Hopkins was signing her new book:
She wasn't on the schedule so we really lucked out. There wasn't even a line. I asked her to sign it to Western High School, and to write on it not to steal it because students always steal our Ellen Hopkins books. She was amused. Here's what happened. One of our teachers had a son who had to do a report on CRANK, and needed it like YESTERDAY (you know, project due tomorrow!). First he sends a TA asking for "A Book Crank," and I had no idea what she wanted, maybe one of those old book presses with the crank for repairs? I thought maybe he wanted a BOOK CART, and sent that over instead. Turns out he had already talked to "the other librarian" who knew what he really wanted. So we had two copies (and the only reason they were in is because it is the end of the school year, and we are not checking books out to students anymore), and had a TA bring the book to his classroom. Well, the teacher came back later asking for the book AGAIN. We had already sent it over and asked the TA what happened. "I put it on his desk." GREAT, the book was gone. What can you do? I checked the teacher out our remaining copy and marked the other lost. Well, at least I'm getting this new copy for free. It's an ARC, so I'm giving it away to some lucky student.
She wasn't on the schedule so we really lucked out. There wasn't even a line. I asked her to sign it to Western High School, and to write on it not to steal it because students always steal our Ellen Hopkins books. She was amused. Here's what happened. One of our teachers had a son who had to do a report on CRANK, and needed it like YESTERDAY (you know, project due tomorrow!). First he sends a TA asking for "A Book Crank," and I had no idea what she wanted, maybe one of those old book presses with the crank for repairs? I thought maybe he wanted a BOOK CART, and sent that over instead. Turns out he had already talked to "the other librarian" who knew what he really wanted. So we had two copies (and the only reason they were in is because it is the end of the school year, and we are not checking books out to students anymore), and had a TA bring the book to his classroom. Well, the teacher came back later asking for the book AGAIN. We had already sent it over and asked the TA what happened. "I put it on his desk." GREAT, the book was gone. What can you do? I checked the teacher out our remaining copy and marked the other lost. Well, at least I'm getting this new copy for free. It's an ARC, so I'm giving it away to some lucky student.
Monday, Roaring Brook Press Breakfast
Getting up for a 7 AM east coast time (4 AM west coast) breakfast was difficult, but worth it. The breakfast was held at the National Press Building, which you can visit by invitation only. We got to look around the building a bit afterwards, and they have very old newspaper plates decorating the walls, and photos of all the famous journalists and people who have visited.
It was a small group of only about 40 people, so it was pretty exclusive. They invited many from Quick Picks and the new Best Fiction for Young Adults group. Had some kind of a pastry filled with eggs and stuff I couldn't identify, but it was delicious. Got to meet a new author of the book:
A partly biographical story of a girl who is institutionalized. Tracy White was so sweet, she is really putting her whole soul out there, so I wanted to read the book.
We also got the ARC of the sequel to Lockdown: Escape from Furnace, which is an awesome book about escaping from a future underground prison:
Lauren Wohl, who does Marketing for Roaring Brook, First Second :01 and Simon Boughton introduced everyone, and we got to sit with the woman who does the jacket art on books. Found out that a lot goes in to selecting the covers, and many times they get changed. The buyer from Borders is so powerful that they can ask the cover to be changed, and it will, because it means more copies will sell.
Met THE Simon Boughton, who I thought was the company name, but turns out was a real person. Well I know that publishers are real people, but usually old or dead people, and Simon is a very handsome young man with an attractive English accent. I wish he'd sat at our table.
It was a small group of only about 40 people, so it was pretty exclusive. They invited many from Quick Picks and the new Best Fiction for Young Adults group. Had some kind of a pastry filled with eggs and stuff I couldn't identify, but it was delicious. Got to meet a new author of the book:
A partly biographical story of a girl who is institutionalized. Tracy White was so sweet, she is really putting her whole soul out there, so I wanted to read the book.
We also got the ARC of the sequel to Lockdown: Escape from Furnace, which is an awesome book about escaping from a future underground prison:
Lauren Wohl, who does Marketing for Roaring Brook, First Second :01 and Simon Boughton introduced everyone, and we got to sit with the woman who does the jacket art on books. Found out that a lot goes in to selecting the covers, and many times they get changed. The buyer from Borders is so powerful that they can ask the cover to be changed, and it will, because it means more copies will sell.
Met THE Simon Boughton, who I thought was the company name, but turns out was a real person. Well I know that publishers are real people, but usually old or dead people, and Simon is a very handsome young man with an attractive English accent. I wish he'd sat at our table.
Quick Picks Meetings Sunday
All the quick picks nominations and previous lists are posted online.
We spent the day talking about our nominations, and popped over to the exhibits during lunch break to see what's new. If you haven't been to an ALA convention exhibit hall, it is amazing! Most of the vendors give away free stuff, like advance reader copies of books, pens, candy, buttons, post its, etc. In these tough budget times, you can load up on anything (but beware of the cost of shipping home! Greedy librarians may find they end up paying $100 for overweight bags, or FedEx / UPS shipping). We look at all the new books coming out and see if any would be good for Quick Picks. We mostly look for very appealing covers. How to be a Zombie looks promising!
It turns out that the author (Serena Valentino) is a friend of my good friend and former library technician, Tommy Kovac. A similar title called how to be a Vampire was on Quick Picks last year, so we're requesting this one.
Spend so much time in exhibits that there was no time for lunch. Ended up eating PB ritz crackers and Twix minis. Finished our discussion early, so we freshened up and headed over to Busboys and Poets
(which has two locations in DC BTW, so when you give the cab driver the wrong address, you wonder where all your CSLA friends are?)To attend the VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)magazine with my friend Susan Hawk, who is on the VOYA board. There were lots of very friendly faces there including Dr. Loertscher, Patty Campbell, and Joni Bodart. My friend Susan introduced me to the editor of VOYA, so I could possibly review for them.
For those of you not in the library world, these people are ROCK STARS!
We spent the day talking about our nominations, and popped over to the exhibits during lunch break to see what's new. If you haven't been to an ALA convention exhibit hall, it is amazing! Most of the vendors give away free stuff, like advance reader copies of books, pens, candy, buttons, post its, etc. In these tough budget times, you can load up on anything (but beware of the cost of shipping home! Greedy librarians may find they end up paying $100 for overweight bags, or FedEx / UPS shipping). We look at all the new books coming out and see if any would be good for Quick Picks. We mostly look for very appealing covers. How to be a Zombie looks promising!
It turns out that the author (Serena Valentino) is a friend of my good friend and former library technician, Tommy Kovac. A similar title called how to be a Vampire was on Quick Picks last year, so we're requesting this one.
Spend so much time in exhibits that there was no time for lunch. Ended up eating PB ritz crackers and Twix minis. Finished our discussion early, so we freshened up and headed over to Busboys and Poets
(which has two locations in DC BTW, so when you give the cab driver the wrong address, you wonder where all your CSLA friends are?)To attend the VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)magazine with my friend Susan Hawk, who is on the VOYA board. There were lots of very friendly faces there including Dr. Loertscher, Patty Campbell, and Joni Bodart. My friend Susan introduced me to the editor of VOYA, so I could possibly review for them.
For those of you not in the library world, these people are ROCK STARS!
Scholastic Brunch
I thought I wasn't going to this event because the Breakfast event from 7-9 was sold out and the brunch started at 10:30, when Quick Picks meetings were supposed to meet. However, we blazed through the agenda on Saturday, and Gregory Lum allowed that we could start late in order to attend the Brunch (I think he wanted to go too!). It was so lovely that it was being held at our hotel, where we also hold the QP meetings, so we had an easy time of getting there and to the meeting on time. We were served Tea, water, salad, and a sun dried tomato quiche with a danish and a cupcake for dessert. Sadly, we had to leave before the presentation started, which was a salute to their Chicken House Imprint, which has been around for 10 years now. We were able to pick up some nice SWAG, which Scholastic is always generous to provide. It was a complete teaser, as the bag was a Mockingjay bag, which everyone is anticipating being released. No ARC's on this one. I've already got mine pre-ordered from Amazon. I was relieved to hear that my friend, Lalitha, who attended the early morning breakfast,did not receive Mockingjay either. If she had, I might have committed a crime, or at least locked her in the bathroom of our hotel room, and stayed up all night reading.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Dinner with Penguin Group
If you ever get a chance to join a selection committee for ALA, DO IT! But first you have to become an ALA member. Plan on spending around $200 for ALA membership and YALSA membership + more if you want to be a member of AASL too! Turn in a volunteer form to serve on a committee. If you are not sure about reading all those books, try to be an Administrative Assistant, which is what I did for 2 years before becoming a full voting member on Quick Picks For Reluctant Readers. I have met so many amazing librarians, and also learned a ton about the publishing business. Plus, you get invited to some great events and meet terrific authors. The Penguin Group put on an author dinner that was amazing! They made sure that each table had a representative from Penguin and an author. I sat at a table with David Levithan!!! For those of you who don't know, he was a co-author on Nick and Norah's Infinite Play List, and just co-wrote Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green (Paper Towns). He is amazingly talented and funny! These events are also great for networking. I met Lisa Morris Wilkey from the International Reading Association and sat next to our own YALSABK and CALIBK12 list member from "Richie's Picks." Also speaking there was Nancy Werlin, Jacqueline Woodson, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Rosemary Wells!!! The Penguin Group Rep at my table was kind enough to introduce me to Rosemary Wells (sorry I can't even remember her name because I was so excited to meet ROSEMARY WELLS!!!). I was nearly in tears as I explained how wonderful it was to meet her and hear her speak because the very first book my daughter read by herself was Max's Breakfast. We love Max and Ruby!! I got her book signed and got a picture taken. That was the highlight of my evening. Oh, and the food was fantastic too.
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