Making QR Codes Work for Your Library

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Curious about how to integrate QR codes into your library? Join Jennifer Velasquez, Teen Services Librarian at the San Antonio Public Library, for a discussion of QR codes. Learn how any librarian, from the tech-novice to the tech-guru, can start using QR codes in the library at no cost.

Participants will learn

  • How QR codes work and where to find programs that will create QR codes for free
  • How to incorporate QR codes into existing programming and build new programming using QR codes
  • How to use QR codes to present and market programming at their library
  • How QR codes can be used to build bridges between teen created content and print and digital material in the library.

Register today! This webinar occurs on Thursday, October 20 at 2pm Eastern. Registration costs $29 for students, $39 for individual YALSA members, $49 for all other individuals, and $195 for group registrations. YALSA’s group rate applies to a group of people that will watch the webinar together in one location.

Get the scoop on STEM!

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What is the buzz about STEM? From listservs to blogs to Twitter, everyone is talking about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Join YALSA for a discussion of what STEM is, and how you can incorporate it into your library. We’ll share ideas on STEM programming and how to build collaborative STEM partnerships with other organizations. We’ll also look toward the future and talk about how librarians can easily implement STEM initiatives during Teen Tech Week.

The forum ‘ will open at 10am EST on Monday, October 3rd and will close Friday, October 7th at 3pm EST. This discussion will be moderated by Shannon Peterson, Youth Services Librarian at Kitsap Regional Library.

To Access the Forum
1. Login into ALA Connect
2. Select the YALSA division page under “My ALA Groups”
3. On the right hand side menu select “Discussions” and then select the month’s discussion thread.
4. To contribute to the discussion click on “Post new discussion” link

If you have trouble accessing the discussion board or have questions or a suggestion for a future YA Talk forum, please contact Eve Gaus at egaus@ala.org

Sneak a peak at YALSA’s Secrets of the Seal online class

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This fall YALSA is launching a brand new online course. Brenna Shanks, instructor for Secrets of the Seal: The Michael L. Printz Award, chatted with me about the course.

Eve: You’re teaching a new class for YALSA that starts in October. Tell us about Secrets of the Seal: The Michael L. Printz Award.

Brenna: I wanted to build a class that would reveal some of the Printz trends and give participants a taste of what its like to be on the committee. We have a final project that basically replicates the committee work. Also, I wanted to discuss what makes a Printz book a Printz book.’  We’ll look at questions such as, what criteria drives the selection process. It isn’t just about what we like as readers. It goes beyond the reading taste of one individual, which is why its sometimes hard to explain or understand each committee’s choices.

Eve:’  What should students expect to learn from this course?

Brenna: I hope students will gain a better understanding of committee work and the value the Printz Award adds to teen literature. Of course, they can’t read 10+ years of work in four weeks, but hopefully they can whet their appetite and approach the books with new insight.

Eve:’  Tell us a little bit about the readings and assignments for this course? How do they fit into your typical librarian’s work schedule?

Brenna: Students will read four of the Printz books (they are welcome to read more, of course!) They will also read a little about the history of the award and its trends over the past decade. They will read supplementary material too- award speeches, press releases, reviews, etc. Assignments include writing reviews and booktalks for Printz titles. The final assignment will be to pick an award and 2 honor books from the Printz titles they’ve read throughout the course.

Eve:’  How do class discussions work? Are they real-time or can I post on my own schedule?

Brenna: We will have a few real-time discussions, but mostly students will post to forums. Discussion topics will be posted each week and any questions brought up by students will be posted for discussion when appropriate. If someone has to miss a real-time chat, archives will be available.

Eve: What can students take away from this course? How can they use the lessons of this course in their day-to-day jobs?

Brenna: Hopefully they will have an increased appreciation for the Printz Award. We will also spend a week discussing ways to promote the Printz. They should come away from that assignment with useful tips for their libraries. I also hope they gain some experience reading with the Printz criteria in mind and that they get a taste of what its like to work on an award committee.

Eve:’  What are you most excited about in this course?

Brenna: Reading on the 2011 Printz committee was a wonderful experience. I’m excited to share some of the insight I gained. I’m also excited to share more great books with colleagues!

Registration for this course is open: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/onlinecourses/secrets_of_the_seal.cfm

September’s YA Forum: Banned Books Week

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Join Carrie Gardner and Krista King, co-conveners of YALSA’s Intellectual Freedom Interest Group for a discussion on Banned Books Week! Topics of discussion will include, self-censorship, handling book challenges, Banned Books week programming and where to find the best resources for Banned Books week.

The YA Forum is an online moderated discussion board for YALSA members, and is located in YALSA’s space on ALA Connect. The board opens on Tuesday September 6th at 10am EDT and closes on Friday September 9 at 3pm EDT. Members can join the conversation by logging into ALA Connect and choosing “YALSA” under “My ALA Groups,” then selecting “Discussions” on the upper right.

Questions? Please contact Eve Gaus, YALSA’s Program Officer for Continuing Education, at egaus@ala.org

YALSA Updates: August Professional Development

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Keep your professional toolbox current and your skills sharp with YALSA’s professional development. We have something for every budget!

YALSA Webinar: From 140 Characters to 10 Pages: Teens, Social Media and Information Literacy

Social media has altered the information landscape by expanding the flow of information from books, newspapers and journals to instant reports from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. From live video feeds of protests around the world, to regular updates from favorite YA authors via Twitter and Facebook, teens are regularly engaging with a broad spectrum of information. How can librarians help teens navigate through these information streams and learn to separate the wheat from the chaff?

Join Laura Pearle for a discussion on how school and public librarians can help their teens use social media for research projects. Laura will explore ways in which you can help your teens locate appropriate material in social media streams as well as determine the validity of the source material. Participants will learn how to create research focused Twitter hash tag lists for their students and how to assist their students in citing information from social media sources. Laura will also discuss how librarians can help teens become good digital citizens when contributing to social media streams. Join us for this important discussion!

This is the first in a two part series that explores social media in the library. Join us for part two of this series on September 15 at 2pm EST for a webinar on social media policy presented by Linda Braun.

YA Forum: Making the case through statistics
Librarians are frequently under pressure to demonstrate the value of the library and measure the library’s effectiveness, whether to their principal, school board, mayor or community. Read More →

Get the scoop on YALSA’s e-course, Navigating the Divide between Teens and Tweens

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This summer YALSA is offering a newly revised online course! ‘  Beth Gallaway and Alissa Lauzon, instructors for’ Navigating the Divide between Teens and Tweens, chatted with me about the course. This course runs from July 11- August 8th and is open for registration through the YALSA website.

Eve: You’re teaching a class for YALSA that starts in July. Tell us about Navigating the Divide between Teens and Tweens.

Beth & Alissa: The age range of patrons that young adult librarians serve is expanding. Although YALSA states that young adults are ages 12-18, the teens you serve in your library can range from 9-18 and they have very different needs from middle childhood to early adolescence to middle adolescence. We want to offer tools and resources that will help librarians better serve a wide range of library users.

Eve: What should students expect to learn from this course?

Beth & Alissa: Participants will become familiar with local, state, and national standards for service to tweens and teens. Students will identify three areas for institutional improvement based on standards observed and will complete a plan for an environmental scan of the library. In addition, participants will define differences between tweens and teens, and will identify methods to improve library marketing and communication to teens of different ages. Lastly, participants will evaluate current space and collection development policies in terms of local and national standards.

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YALSA Updates: June Professional Development

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YA Forum: Outreach to LGBTQ Teens

June is Pride month and YALSA is celebrating by discussing outreach to LGBTQ teens on our YA Forum. Are you looking for suggestions of books that reflect positive views of LGBTQ youth? Or are you looking for advice and suggestions on how to provide readers advisory to teens who may or may not be out? Or are you just looking for ways to support your LGBTQ teens in your library and community? Join us this month for an in-depth discussion of service to LGBTQ youth. The YA Forum is an online moderated discussion board for YALSA members, and is located in YALSA’s space on ALA Connect. The board opens on Monday June 6th at 10am EDT and closes on Friday June 10 at 3pm EDT. Franklin Escobedo will moderate this month’s discussion forum. Members can join the conversation by logging into ALA Connect and choosing “YALSA” under “My ALA Groups,” then selecting “Discussions” on the upper right.

YALSA Webinar: Street Smart: Serving Teen Street Lit Readers

Whether your teen population is urban, suburban or rural, they’re talking about street lit. What is this genre and how can you incorporate it into your library? Join Megan Honig, author of Urban Grit: A Guide to Street Lit, for a conversation about street lit. Megan will discuss how to use street lit and why it is important to incorporate it into your library’s collection. Participants will also receive a list of street lit resources. This webinar occurs on June 16 at 2pm EDT. Registration costs $29 for students, $39 for YALSA members, $49 for all other individuals or $195 for group registration (applies to group of people that will watch the webinar together in one location). Visit www.ala.org/yalsa/webinars to register.

Questions? Please contact Eve Gaus, YALSA’s Program Officer for Continuing Education, at egaus@ala.org

Ask Arne Duncan to support school libraries

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Take five minutes today to contact Arne Duncan and encourage him to continue the 19.1 million dollar funding for Improving Literacy through School Libraries. This program is critical in helping school librarians have access to books and technological resources, and is not currently funded in the FY11 budget. It is up to the Department of Education to decide whether to allocate the funding for Improving Literacy through School Libraries. The deadline for this budget is May 15, 2011. We encourage you to use the sample message below to contact Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, and urge him to continue the funding for Improving Literacy through School Libraries in this year’s Department of Education budget.

Sample message:
Dear Secretary of Education:

I am contacting you today to urge you to continue the 19.1 million dollar funding for Improving Literacy through School Libraries in this year’s Department of Education budget. As a librarian, I know firsthand the critical importance libraries play in the development of young adults and I urge you to support their literacy development by funding this program.

Sincerely,

Contact information:
Phone: (202) 401-3000
Arne.duncan@ed.gov

YALSA Online Course – Connect, Create, Collaborate: Supporting Teen Needs with Technology

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This winter YALSA is offering a newly revised online course! ‘ Linda Braun, instructor for’  Connect, Create, Collaborate: Supporting Teen Needs with Technology, chatted with me about the course. This course is open for registration through the YALSA website.

Eve: You’re teaching a class for YALSA that starts in February. Tell us about Connect, Create, Collaborate: Supporting Teen Needs with Technology.

Linda: Connect, Create, Collaborate: Supporting Teen Needs with Technology is a revised version of a class I’ve taught for YALSA for the past several years, which focused on technology as a tool for supporting teen reading and writing literacy. I decided to revise the class because what I’m finding now is that it’s essential to focus not on the concepts of technology and print literacies as separate components but to focus on them as a part of the whole library experience for teens.

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New YALSA online course – Growing, Managing and Defending the Young Adult Budget

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This fall YALSA is launching two brand new online courses! ‘ Monique Delatte, instructor for Growing, Managing and Defending the YA Budget, chatted with me about the course

 

Eve: You’re teaching a new class for YALSA that starts in October. Tell us about Growing, Managing and Defending the Young Adult Budget.

Monique: Times are tough, but librarians still want to provide patrons with exceptional library services. This course is about getting the support that you need, whether it is via grant money, Friends of the Library funding, or financial support from library management or boards. The class will also address developing a sustainable young adult services budget. Together, these skills help to build strong relationships with the funders who assist in providing the financial backing for much-needed services today and into the future.

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