Today, if you are an ALA member, you received an email from Kristin Murphy about how our legislative bodies are adjourning for district work periods and how they are holding town hall meetings to find out what is important to their constituents. What better time for libraries and librarians to get out there and make their cases known!
How many of you are a community/library in need?’ Raise your hand. How many of you could use 1,200 new young adult books, cds, and videos? Raise your hand.’ If you have one or both of your hands raised, you should think about applying for YALSA’s Great Books Giveaway Award.
Lately, it seems I have been attending a barrage of meetings and trainings designed specifically to help me become a better librarian, a better teen librarian. ‘ I hear a variety of programs that everyone is conducting/sponsoring/fostering, and I have begun to think about what our core values, our core programs as teen librarians should be, especially now that library service as we know it is being altered by the economy.
Yes we are trying to entice teens to come to our programs. ‘ Yes, we want high attendances, but at what price? Read More →
Awww, you can smell it in the air…the smell of books…Inboxes and mailboxes are becoming crowded with invitations and offers, and the things most librarians live for- information and connections. You can hear the whispers of librarians’ on the breeze, as many make plans of their impending journey to Chicago, which for a week will be the temporary home to thousands of librarians, teachers, administrators, and support staff members. All of us brought together by the embracing umbrella of ALA, the American Libraries Association.
Today I read Pat Scales’ column in the May issue of School Library Journal.’ In it, there is a letter from a librarian who says that her director has made her stop purchasing graphic novels because “the library isn’t about comic books.”
Many of you already know or heard of the CPSIA of 2008.’ For those of you who don’t know or haven’t heard, this is the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that has been a thorn in librarians’ sides since the emails and bulletins started circulating in early January.’ It was originally meant to regulate lead and phtalates in age 12 and under children’s toys.’ However, it was misinterpreted to include books, which has lead to a paniac amongst all librarians across the U.S.’ At first, it was supposed to take effect this February 10, but a stay was issued until next year.
However, something important has happened! Read More →
As advocates, we all have important messages that we are dying to present. Give us just 5 minutes of your time and we’ll have you singing the praises of’ our teen’ issues.’ Often times, we are only given 5 mintues’ (or even less than that) to present ourselves.’ When we have only 1-5 minutes to present all of our points on an issue and to convince another person of action, it is absolutely essential to have a clear, concise position to communicate.’ Read More →
Your palms sweat; your throat becomes dry and scratchy.’ Your knees knock together and every time you try to speak, all that comes out is a slow hoarse whisper.
Often this is what happens when you go to speak in front of a group of people or in front of people in powerful positions. Our fears can be very gripping and can prevent us from being the best possible advocates that we can be.’ In order to get our voices heard, though, we must get past our fears of speaking out.’ The following are three central “Fear Issues” that we have all faced at one point in time or another and pointers to help overcome them. Read More →
I just received’ an email about funding for Maryland libraries.’ As the new stimulus package funds are being released, it is imperative that we reach out to our legislatures, not just in Maryland, but in all states!’
“No.” It is one of the first words we hear as human beings.’ And, in turn, as I have learned from my one year old and her friends, it is one of the first words we learn to say.
So how do we deal with this heavily loaded word when we hear it as a response to our library advocacy and the issues within it? How do we continue in our pursuit of our goals when this blow is dealt to us? Read More →