Happy Summer Reading!

Here at the blog wish you a robust, happy and kid-filled summer reading/library adventure.

Check out these resources for lots of suggested reading and activities for kids!

We Are Kid Lit Collective's Diverse Summer Reading Lists - although the 2021 list isn't out yet, you can find great suggestions for books by and about BIPOC on these collected annual lists.

ALSC Summer Reading Lists - compiled by the ALSC Quicklists Committee, these lists include digital experiences as well. The four free downloadable lists are for P-Pre-K; Gr. K-2; Gr. 3-5 and Gr. 6-8. 

Badgerlink Summer Activities - links to great resources and lists that Badgerlink has curated especially for Wisco library staff!

Reading Challenges for YOU! - the ALSC blog has some great suggestions for pepping up your reading and challenging yourself along the way with other bookworms throughout the country.

Happy Summer! Happy Reading!

CLEL Leadership Conference Proposals Being Accepted

As seen in the May 14 edition of Friday FAQ's  

The 2021 CLEL (Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy) Conference committee is searching for early literacy-focused presenters for the Leadership Academy on October 7 and the conference on October 8. The due date is June 4. 

They write:

We are seeking speakers for both days. All presentations will be delivered live via Zoom.
● October 7th will start at 11:00 pm MT and end at 5:00 pm MT tentatively.
● October 8th will begin at 8:00 am MT and will conclude at 5:00 pm MT tentatively
● Break-out sessions will be approximately 50 minutes in length.
● If you would like to present please fill out the form below; multiple topics and forms can be submitted, however, only one will be accepted per person.
● Please double check contact information especially for co-presenters.
● There will be no monetary compensation, however, all presenters can attend the full conference free of charge.

The Leadership Institute seeks to advance the leadership skills of all participants to empower them to lead from where they are in their libraries and communities, regardless of position, experience, or skill level. The topics should benefit current leadership staff as well as staff seeking growth.
Potential Leadership Institute Themes:
● Mentorship of early literacy staff and storytime presenters
● How to lead from where you are
● How to advocate for youth within the library and in the community
● Recognizing and eliminating barriers to access for young children and families
● Fostering strategic partnerships
● Change management
● Providing services responsive to your community’s needs
● Communication skills
● New to management
● If you could attend any one session on leadership, what would it be about?
● Future of libraries and leadership
● Things that can hold people back from leading
● Taking risks and not being afraid of failure
● Middle management
● Soft skills-what makes a good manager?
● How to identify learning and development opportunities
● Advocacy for your staff and for your department
● Self-advocacy

Main Conference Potential Training Themes:
● New “Normal” programming: remote, hybrid, outdoor?
● Spanish/Bilingual/non-English storytime
● Evaluating picture books and other children’s media
● Beginning readers and connecting families to kindergarten readiness resources and ideas
● Innovative visual art programs in early literacy and how to implement them
● Early literacy programming for rural and small libraries
● Training for non-children staff and/or local childcare providers
● Mental and/or physical health issues and helping our patrons
● Non-fiction in storytime
● Trauma-informed services for youth
● Book selection for developmental differences
● Full-spectrum literacy to include math, science, etc
● Equity and diversity in children services and collections
● ECRR2, literacy and brain development research, storytime best practices, great books for storytimes, and more!

Proposals for presentations will be considered if submitted by midnight MST June 4, 2021.
YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION THAT THE SUBMISSION HAS BEEN RECEIVED. If you do not receive confirmation, please email sgray@dclibraries.org

Please submit your proposal here by June 4: https://forms.gle/KoRnojuxtiQwfq1EA

Goodbye to WI's Lois Ehlert

Publisher Simon & Schusters tribute tweet

It was with profound sadness and the utmost respect that we share the news of Lois Ehlert's death yesterday.  

Lois was an amazing Wisconsin's children's book creator. Born in Beaver Dam, she spent most of her life in the Milwaukee area until her death at age 86. She was a great supporter of libraries, children's books, the CCBC and those who work with children.

from CCBC's webpage, Ehlert's floral mural at the CCBC

Her colorful collage art mixed nature and geometrical shapes to create vibrant splashes of color and lively narratives that were a delight for her picture book audiences. With over 38 books published for children, she would share a leaf, a twig, a flower that inspired her with her audiences. She always encouraged kids during her author visits to have a special place to create art and to experiment and play with their art just as she did.

In a year of loss in the children's book world of longtime friends (Beverly Clearly, Norman Juster, Eric Carle), we are grateful to have the lasting legacy of the works of these wonderful stars of the chilldren's literature universe to continue to share with children and their caregivers.

Indigenous Representation Newsletter

Minitex, an information and resource sharing program of the MN Dept of Higher Education and the University of MN Libraries, recently shared the May 2021 newsletter of the Indigenous Representations Workgroup.

The Indigenous Representations newsletter is a collaboration between Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, St. Cloud State University, the St. Kate’s Master of Library and Information Science program, the University of Minnesota Kerlan Collection, Birchbark Books, Minnesota State Library Services and the MDE Office of American Indian Education. 

This edition includes book and resource recommendations for use in the classroom or library. It looks like a great resource to help you in your collection development work.

Check out the blog post here.

POW(!)er of Graphic Novels to Support Youth Literacy - Free Virtual Program from ALSC!

Check out this fantastic program from ALSC!

 

POW(!)er of Graphic Novels to Support Youth Literacy: Creators Speak

Tuesday, July 20, 2021 from 11am CDT to 12pm CDT

Join an incredible panel of creators - Nidhi Chanani, Jerry Craft, Varian Johnson, and Nadia Shammas - in a conversation about how their work has been shaped to engage and support youth. Learn about their journey in the current social environment of inclusivity and what inspired their work. 

 

This is a free, virtual program and is made possible by the Charlemae Hill Rollins Endowment. 

 

Advance registration is required.  Click HERE to reserve your spot.

Is Virtual Programing Over?

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

With the loosening of restrictions on masks and activities that vaccinated people can engage in, does this mean that libraries can finally move away from virtual programs back towards live programming?

A recent ALSC blog post makes the case that, for a number of reasons, virtual programs are here to stay. Blogger Emily Mroczek-Bayci suggests otherwise: "Virtual programming should not go anywhere. It is accessible, necessary and important for 21st century libraries."

Read her thought-provoking piece here.

Slowing Down

Many of us have been running at full-tilt during the pandemic. And, truth be told, some of us work at a pretty frantic pace even without a pandemic! It's easy to do when you are passionate about your work.

But is that sustainable for us, our co-workers and our library?

A recent ALSC Blog post by blogger Amy Steinbauer explores that passion, its consequences and the idea of adding mindfulness in a thoughtful post that all of us should take a few moments to read and reflect on. You can find the post here.

Additional links below shared by Tessa Michaelson Schmidt also can help us navigate our feelings as we continue to deal with feelings of stress, burnout and the ongoing challenges of meeting the pandemic - and our public and private lives - where we are at.

o     Feeling Blah During the Pandemic: It’s Called Languishing (New York Times)

o    The Other Side of Languishing is Flourishing (New York Times)

o    Late-Stage Pandemic Is Messing With Your Brain (The Atlantic): 

o    It’s Not Just You: Why Everyone is Super Exhausted Right Now (Salon): 

o     Brain Fog: How Trauma, Uncertainty, and Isolation Have Affected Our Minds and Memory (The Guardian)

o    4 Ways to Deal With Burnout (NPR)

Early Childhood First Nations Webinar June 8

The  Culturally Responsive Early Childhood Project, through the Network, is presenting a free early childhood webinar focused on First Nations, free to the first 250 registrants. The webinar runs 8:30 until noon on June 8. The theme is "The Power of Our Shared Stories" and the featured speakers for this half day event include First Nations speakers:  author Cythnia Leitich Smith, artist Karen Ann Hoffman and chef Elena Terry.

As a result of attending this webinar training, participants will:

• have an opportunity to continue their journey of personal and professional development around First Nations Studies.
• identify books and strategies to support teaching and learning about Native peoples, communities, and nations.
• recognize how human interactions and relationships play a crucial role in early childhood development.
• receive information and resources relevant to support early childhood work.

To read all the detailss and register, please click here.

Early Childhood Literacy Research Toolkit

For many, MANY years, library staff who worked with youth had anecdotal evidence of the importance of reading, summer library programs, interactions of caring adults with kids relating to their literacy rate and other youth librarian interventions and interactions with kids and reading.  But there was very little research to back-up those anecdotes we all knew so well.

A huge breakthrough in the field of research in early literacy and libraries occurred at the turn of the millennium. Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) was introduced by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Public Library Association (PLA) in 2004 and provided research-based practices that completely changed the course of how - and why - library staff present preschool storytimes. The six literacy skills and, in 2011, the five literacy practices were grounded in solid research that made these sweeping changes possible.

ALSC continues to support research in Early and Family Literacy through one of their newest committees. This research can help all of us in frontline library positions.

In a recent ALSC post, committee member Joanna Ward shares the work of the committee and their toolkit that helps you view the research yourself. Joanna writes: "EFL members regularly search for articles and reports on research findings that can help the ALSC community provide the highest quality research-based early literacy services in libraries, support best early literacy practices in our communities, be more responsive to the needs in our communities, explain to stakeholders and policymakers the purpose and value of the work we do, better advocate for the children we serve, spark new ideas, and increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work."

Read all about what research the toolkit contains and how to access it here at the ALSC blog. 

Throw-it Thursday - Weeding Religion

Ashley Borman, Technical Services Librarian at the Clintonville (WI) Public Library is back with her monthly column and has some great advice on making sure your collections are updated.

How do you weed religious books? It can be difficult to decide what stays and what goes in this section, because you don’t want to offend anyone by removing all of the books on a particular religion, yet you also don’t want to keep things that are outdated or no longer circulate. So what do you do?

I have a general rule in this section. It is okay to weed items based on circulation, but if you discard a large number of items, try to find some newer, fresher books to replace them with (as you should do in all sections of the library when weeding-unless you are getting rid of a collection, then by all means, THROW IT ALL in the discard pile!). There is a GIANT exception to this rule. You can weed using circulation stats UNLESS they are sacred religious texts (e.g. the Holy Bible, the Koran, the Torah). These items, I only discard if they are falling apart and beyond repair. These items are always replaced with a new copy.

These items are old and crusty and have not circulated in years. Throw 'em in the discard pile!
Don't forget to look for some new and improved books to replace them with.

The CREW manual states that while religious works seem like they should never become outdated, some can indeed become dated due to the language used. While this is more common in adult materials, we should also be keeping an eye on children’s materials in this collection. 

And if you’ve been slacking (come on, I know I’m not the only one missing some updated materials on certain religions!), CREW: A Weeding Manual for Public Libraries  (pp 64-65) also recommends trying to keep some up-to-date materials “on each religion represented by a church, synagogue, or other assembly in the community or region, as well as something on the well-known modern sects such as Scientology. Include timely and comprehensive information on the six major international religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism.” 

So get out there, check your shelves, and see what you need to throw in the discard pile, and what you need to spruce up in your religion section.

Happy weeding!

 

Inside the CCBC - No Really!!

In a delightful WAPL virtual presentation this month, CCBC Librarians Megan Schliesman and Merri Lindgren took us on an incredible tour of the CCBC - both today and historically. If you think you know all things CCBC, we think you'll be in for a surprise!

Information about services today are cleverly interwoven with historic anecdotes, graphics, photos and photo-captures from the internet Wayback Machine that Merri and Megan sprinkle throughout with humor and the well-curated memory. Wondering where the CCBC has been located over the years? Curious about what happened to the Alternate Press Collection? Inquisitive about how the book examination works? Where did that big Paul Bunyan come from? Nosy about where the multicultural focus came from? Need to see the evolution of CCBC Choices content and covers? Interested in finding out about the children's literature conferences they once sponsored? Wondering how to get there? Looking for 55 different  diverse youth awards and annual best-of lists to diversify your collections? We could go on....but you get the picture.

This 60 minute video has got all the answers and website tips plus so much more to help you know the CCBC and how you can use it better - and appreciate where its been!

We are so fortunate in Wisconsin to have the CCBC, a treasure, in our state. You will have a new appreciation for the CCBC and its amazing staff (current and former).

Thanks to Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and her May Friday FAQs for the link!

Get Kids Out and Exploring Wisconsin's Wonderful Natural Resources with the DNR's Wisconsin Explorer Program!

Check out this super fun program from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources! 

"Make tracks to the nearest state park, forest, trail or recreation area and ask for a free Wisconsin Explorer booklet. Inside you'll find nature activities, scavenger hunts, games, hikes and crafts to help you explore Wisconsin's great outdoors together.

Kids who complete the requirements will earn collectible state symbol patches. Don't just sit there - get out and start discovering secrets together!"

Wisconsin Explorer Program

Portable Sound System Recommendations

Pixabay Image

With summer hard upon us, many libraries are not only continuing virtual programs but also taking advantage of the warmer weather to plan live outdoor programs again. 

While a robust presenter's voice is nice in the outdoors, a portable sound system can help immensely in saving energy, vocal chords and making it easier for the audience to actually hear.

Last month, Angela Meyers, Coordinator of Youth and Family Services at Bridges Library System, asked for your recommendations on portable sound systems that worked for you. 

Today, we share the ongoing results in a literal "snapshot" google doc of recommendations. The doc lists the name and type of system along with website, price and opinion about each one.

Please bookmark this google doc which will be updated if additional recommendations come in. If you have a system that works for you and you want to share, please fill in this google form with YOUR recommendations!

We've got your Thursday plans in the books!

Join fellow library staff serving youth as we head on a virtual tour of 2--count 'em, TWO--of the many great libraries from around the state:
Rosholt Branch Library and Waterford Public Library!

Clickety click here on Thursday, May 20th at 1:30pm
to join in the fun! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7502399842

Outside & Socially Distanced Teen Programs

from TSU blog 4/29/21

One of our go-to blogs here at YSS blog is Teen Services Underground blog. There are always helpful ideas for frontline library staff working with teens.  

One of their agents recently shared four great outside programs to engage teens but also allow distance.

Check it out here!

Friday FAQs with Tessa 5/14/21

Dear Library Staff Serving Youth, 

Happy Friday! Here is the latest installment of Friday FAQs for Youth Services. The slides used in the recording are attached as a PDF. Also, the FAQ Friday form is open for your input anytime. FAQs are published on the second Friday of each month. 

              FAQ Friday 5/14/2021 recording (6:28) https://youtu.be/5roAJ96Yzzo 

FAQ Friday for Youth Services 2021 Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiPJ3WfahXaj5y3RchBsVZdORDUvE7J3c_LygTWiJuv9yqOg/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

For FAQ archives, visit the Youth Services Section blog

Resources related to this week’s topics

• Summer Planning Suggestions from the Youth Services Section blog
• Ultimately Ultimate Summer Reading Tips - 2021Style
• Outdoor Storytime Know-How
• (Serving Teens) Making Lemonade Out of Lemons - Part 1
• (Serving Teens) Making Lemonade out of Lemons -Part 2

• Inside the CCBC (WAPL session recording) https://mediaspace.wisc.edu/media/Inside+the+CCBC/1_0adfknzh
• 2021 CLEL (Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy) Conference

Searching for presenters for the Leadership Academy on October 7 and the conference on October 8. Please submit your proposal here by June 4: https://forms.gle/KoRnojuxtiQwfq1EA

• National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) Cultural Crossroads: Exploring the important intersection of summer program training & design with the critical need to address race, equity, and inclusion webinar recording: https://youtu.be/26FZ4cuGNgA.
• From Diversity to inclusion: How to audit your collection and why recording from the Connecticut State Library. Slides and all accompanying materials can be found on the Inclusive Collections page.  

 

Have a restful weekend,

 

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt (she/her/hers)

Youth and Inclusive Services Public Library Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction | Library Services

(608) 267-5077 Tessa.Schmidt@dpi.wi.gov

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

• 6/18/21 recording

• 5/14/21 recording
• 4/9/21 recording
• 3/12/21 recording
• 2/12/21 recording
• 1/15/21 recording
• 12/11/20 recording
• 11/13/20 recording
• 10/9/20 recording
• 9/11/20 recording
• 8/14/20 recording
• 7/31/20 recording
• 7/17/20 recording
• 7/10/20 recording
• 6/26/20 recording
• 6/19/20 recording
• 6/11/20 recording
• 6/5/20 recording
• 5/29/20 recording
• 5/22/20 recording
• 5/15/20 recording
• 5/8/20 recording
• 5/1/20 recording
• 4/24/20 recording
• 4/17/20 recording
• 4/10/20 recording   

Just Wondering...Where is a Book's Right "Home"?

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

This post by Manitowoc (WI) Public Library Youth Librarian and YSS Board Member Susie Menk explores questions about how we deal with the increasing number of books published only as paperbacks - and whether a book's location in the youth collection should be decided by format or reading level. And she's wondering....what do you think? 

Recently I have been cataloging a wide variety of books and have come across a conundrum.  What are we to do with paperback fiction books?  Now I’m not talking about the simple chapter books like Choose Your Own Adventure or Rainbow Fairies.  I’m talking about trade paperback books.  Books that if they were hardcover publications, would automatically go in the Youth Fiction section, not the paperback section. 

Publishers are coming out with more and more books in paperback formats.  What do you do with the books that are between 200 and 300 pages, but are paperback?  Do you put them in with the early chapter paperback books or do you catalog them as youth fiction and put them in the hardcover section?

This has been an ongoing conversation at my library.  What constitutes a paperback?  Is it simply whether the cover is soft or hard or is it the type of book it is?  Does page length matter? Subject matter? Reading level?  Do we keep longer books in the paperback spinners or put them on the shelves with youth fiction?  Where does the paperback novel go?

One of the practices that I have found that differs greatly between adult shelving and youth shelving is that youth has so many more categories than adult because youth books are categorized more by reading level than anything else. 

In our adult section we have a paperback area, but it focuses mostly on romance paperbacks.  Anything that is a trade paperback gets put in the fiction section alongside the hardcover books. So what about youth?  Do we look at the reading level, the format or a little bit of both? Here’s an article that comments on the difference between chapter books and middle grade books. 

If we are grouping books together by reading level, should the middle grade books be lumped in with the early chapter books?  So the question really boils down to deciding whether the home location should be designated by reading level or the format. 

What do you do at your library?  

Virtual Series: Talking about the COVID Vaccine In Your Community - Register today!

 

In this 2-part virtual series Talking About the COVID Vaccine in Your Community, participants will learn strategies to share COVID-19 vaccine information and resources in their communities. This training is free and open to anyone who would like to attend. Participants will: ·    feel confident delivering information about COVID-19 vaccines in inclusive and trusted ways ·    understand potential barriers to getting the vaccine ·    know where to find accurate information about the vaccine and how to get it ·    have tools to lead workshops and trainings in their communities  Length: 2 sessions - 90-minutes each

Training Sessions

Register for one date for Session 1 and one date for Session 2.

Session 1:

You will learn about:

·    Health literacy background 

·    Applying health literacy principles to community outreach

·    Strategies for better communication

·    Workshop and lesson plan ideas

Monday, May 17 at 12:00-1:30

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsd-CqrTkiH9IApy_43WCfvGQpSa_4Kxhg

Monday, May 24 at 9:00-10:30

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqduqqrDouHd0uBirRw_guM1BxP8p8qimX

Tuesday, June 1 at 10:30-12:00

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkce2uqzstGtM-mos5UZ9gbrhT6h1pkHN9

 

Session 2:

You will learn about:

·    Establishing and leveraging community partnerships

·    LARA communication strategy – activity and discussion to practice keeping conversations productive and positive

·    COVID vaccine resources 

Tuesday, May 18 at 10:00-11:30

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMudO6orzMjHtwBx6a2cyZrhf9kq117vzDR

Wednesday, May 26 at 9:00-10:30

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYuceugqzovG9RiKLQX2-m0YcMS1-Kpo8Ns

Thursday, June 3 at 10:30-12:00 pm

Register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqcemgpj4sHdBBDdZrLyz0rYXuaUzxCUne