Reflective Assessment in Our Service

Dr. J. Elizabeth Mills, writing on behalf of the ALSC Research committee, has written a clear and well researched call to youth staff to consider ways we can assess our services. This short but meaty post in the ALSC blog gives practical tips on how reflection in our service assessment can build on our learning both during programs and after.

Dr. Miller writes: “Assessment refers to gathering information about  something you are doing to determine progress and effect meaningful growth (Campana, Mills, & Ghoting, 2016). Assessment data can give you the basis for an advocacy story to share the ways in which you are having an impact through your work. This can, in turn, inform your own professional development. Another way to think about assessment is that it’s about understanding what has taken place so that you can continue to strengthen what you do and how you do it.”

To read this powerful post, please stop here.  [The Ripples We Make: Reflective Assessment in Children’s and Youth Services. Miller, Dr. J Elizabeth. ALSC blog. May 29, 2025.]

Adapting a Winter Program for Everyone

Image by Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay

As the year rolls to an end, it's good to reflect on where we are and what we've done in our programming - especially what we have offered around the December holidays. Taking that pause helps us think about what works and what doesn't - and how it serves all our community. That reflective evaluation and clear-eyed look at long-time projects and programs can be eye-opening.

In a recent ALSC blog post, Betsy Raczkowski, a member of ALSC's Managing Children's Services Committee, shares how their library took a long hard look at a popular holiday program and how they adapted it to make it more meaningful and inclusive for all their community.

Betsy writes: “ "It’s never too early to plan for next year!"  It’s a phrase often said in libraries, and while some of us cringe at the thought of “next year,” the holiday season is a great time to reflect. For nine years, we held a blow-out Christmas event. It drew 1,500 patrons to the library on a chilly night in December for trolley rides, letters to Santa, and even Santa himself. It was an event that families looked forward to every year; something that became a holiday tradition alongside cookie making and caroling. So we kept it going, right? An annual event for 1,500 people! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But the problem was, it was broken."

To read about their process and decisions, please click here. [Winter Fun for All. Raczkowski,, Betsy. ALSC blog. December 21, 2023.]

Chair's Corner - December 2023 YSS Board Updates

This month's November YSS board meeting update is from Alison Loewen, our YSS 2023 Chair and Youth Services Librarian, Mead Public Library, Sheboygan.

My favorite winter movie is a 26-minute adaptation of the wordless picture book The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs.  I was first shown this animated film on the last day of school before Holiday Break in 1988, and after all this time, it has never ceased to delight me.   Year after year, I have made it a personal tradition to revisit it.  Every year, I again notice the detail and care of the colored pencil drawings, and allow the enchanting musical score to flow through my veins. I love this movie for so many reasons. 

However, this isn’t a traditional holiday story for children filled with cheer.  It’s a reminder that life is a wave of emotions, carrying us between wonder, delight, concern, joy, grief and so much more- and that every thing and every feeling, has an ending.  It’s a somber lesson for a story made for children; even adults still struggle with this reminder. It’s difficult to accept when a good thing has come to an end and the experiences and memories have become a part of you forever, but that the actual moment has passed.  While it might seem melodramatic to compare this to the end of my year of service as YSS Chair, I do think it is a feeling that many of us struggle with as a year comes to a close. 

There is just one more point I want to make from The Snowman, and that is because the little boy chose to invite the snowman into his world, the snowman reciprocated and invited him into theirs. So much magic was created by taking a chance and believing.  As we inch toward the end of 2023, let’s imagine 2024 being a year for connecting, sharing, and taking chances, and by doing so, creating opportunity inside and outside our libraries, both for ourselves and others.  

With that, I will leave you with a few key takeaways from our last board meeting of 2023

• The Youth Services Performer Showcase directory and recordings are available for purchase for anyone who missed the event but would like access.  You can purchase those rights here: YSS Showcase Recordings & Directory
• A reminder to register for our upcoming webinar “Connecting 1,2,3 to ABC”.  You can find more info and registration link here. 
• Looking forward to news from DPI about a Smokey Bear reading challenge and opportunities to host a teen intern at your library this summer.  More information here and by signing up for the YS Listserv.
• Also, watch for more information forthcoming regarding WLA’s Great Lakes, Great Reads reading challenge.  Find out more!

Thank you to all youth services librarians for caring for your community in the way that you do.  Just as my teacher from 1988 may not know how the simple screening of that film influenced my life, you may never know what small things you do that make an impact on the lives of the children you serve.  

I am happy to pass the torch to the 2024 Youth Services Section Chair, Cathy Pescinski.  I want to thank Murray Johnson, Ashley Borman, and Claire Parrish for their years of service, and welcome new board members Peter Blenski, Justin Keberlein, and Laci Sheldon to YSS!

 

SRP - What Worked...and What Didn't

Recently we shared a post from the ALSC blog encouraging us to take time to reflect on how our summer library/reading programs have gone. Jen Sullivan, who blogs at Adventures in Storytime (and Beyond) recently posted her reflections and thoughts about her summer. It's worth a read to see how she breaks down what worked - and what didn't - at her library.

Click here to read her post [SRP 2023 "Summer at the Library" Reflection. Sullivan, Jennifer. Adventures in Storytime (and Beyond) blog. August 20, 2023]

Reflecting on This Year's SLP

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

As the end of summer library program approaches and you are yearning for vacation, cooler weather and the return to school year rhythms, it is a perfect time to reflect on how this year's summer activities and program have gone and what might be different next year.  

What?!? Now?!? When energy is low and the furthest things from our mind is next summer?

ALSC's Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee hears you! In a recent blog post, they suggest 8 questions to help you evaluate and reflect on SLP that look less at stats and data and more at the bigger picture. 

Click here to read the full post. [Save Time and Alleviate Evaluation Stress with These 8 Questions. ALSC Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee. ALSC blog. July 22, 2023.]

Reflecting on Our Practice

Image by Manfred Steger from Pixabay

A recent ALSC blog post had some powerful suggestions on ways to stop dashing headlong about, without reflection, in our day-to-day work as youth librarians. Stopping to smell the roses, or reflect on what we're doing can add a very useful tool to our toolkit of youth services.

Lisa Bintrim, a member of ALSC's School Age Programs and Services Committee writes: "I often feel like I’m in perpetual motion. As soon as one program is done, I’m onto the next one. I’m racing from storytimes, to class visits, to meetings, to outreach commitments. And there’s always work to do: weeding, shelf-reading, tidying the children’s area, cleaning the toys and games, and on and on.  Hitting the pause button, even for a few minutes, can feel impossible. But for the past six months, that’s what I’ve been trying to do: setting aside about fifteen minutes each week to pause through reflective writing." 

To read her thoughtful post with tips and suggestions, please stop here. [Reflective Practice in Children's Services.  Bintrim, Lisa. ALSC blog. February 25, 2023]