Travel Grants to Chicago ALA 2023 Annual Conference

Through the Comics Librarian Conference Travel Grant, the GNCRT will support two travel grants for GNCRT members to attend the 2023 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL this June.

These grants are intended to support the professional development of library workers interested in expanding their knowledge and experience with comics in libraries. Through these grants, GNCRT seeks to highlight the value “comics librarianship” brings to the field.

Each grant winner will receive reimbursement of up to $3,000 toward their attendance at the upcoming 2023 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. 

Grant applications are due April 1, 2023. Learn more at here 

Thanks to 3/10/23 Nic News Weekly for the tip!

ALA Session Highlight: Survival Skills for Teens

I recently returned from attending the ALA 2017 Annual Conference and I am bursting with staff training ideas, program outlines, and more!  Today I wanted to share one of the sessions I attended at the conference.  It was titled Life Hacks: Survival Skills for Teens.  The focus was on teaching teens some basic life skills with minimal cost or planning for libraries.  Some of my favorite suggestions for programs included: healthy eating ona budget, auto care, etiquette, money management, media literacy and safety, and apartment hunting.  Now most of these seem quite basic, but the fun comes in naming these basic life skills programs.  For example, an apartment hunting session could be titled: "Anywhere But Your Parent's Basement" or healthy eating becomes "Pizza Is Not a Food Group."  These types of programs offer teens a great way to learn basic life skills in a fun and safe environment.

The best part about this type of program is that the topics can be based on the strengths and knowledge your staff already has or on topics presented by various community/business/partnership members.  So, go forth and help your teens learn some basic "adulting" skills!