Tweet Up Tuesday!

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We are hoping you’ll join us on Tuesday at 1 PM! YALSA President Jack Martin (@JacksonDevious, @YALSAPresident) and I (@scouri) will be leading a Tweet Up about using Twitter in the library. Are you just getting started with Twitter? This will be a great chance to practice your skills! Are you a long-time Twitter veteran? What a great opportunity to share advice and experience! We’ll be using #yalsaprez to mark the conversation, so please find us.

Want some guidance on getting started with Twitter? YALSA Academy has just the ticket for you.

And if you want to know more about using Twitter at your library, this is your lucky week! The YA Forum will be exploring this very topic today through Friday. Join us for the conversation at ALA Connect!

ALA Connect downtime tonight, 7 to 9 p.m.

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ALA Connect will be down tonight from 7-9 p.m. Central for server migration and upgrades. This means if you’re planning on participating in this week’s YA Forum on Self-Censorship, you won’t be able to between 7 and 9 p.m. tonight, so please plan accordingly! We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause, but the downtime will result in a more robust ALA Connect, so trust us when we say it’s worth it! After the jump, you can find out more about the migration from ALA’s ITTS department.

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Teen Music Interest Group returns

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Self-proclaimed music buff and Teen Librarian April Pavis has taken over as convener for YALSA’s Teen Music Interest Group (henceforth known as T-MIG).’ ‘  Music-related issues will be covered in ALA Connect and in listserv discussions ya-music@ala.org.

A few of the issues:

– Illegal downloading continues to be a big issue for the recording industry and library computers are likely used in those illegal efforts.’  T-MIG members and guests will discuss illegal music downloading in libraries, and the repercussions and ethics of allowing it to go on.

– Music programming for teens: what works, what doesn’t, ideas, suggestions, discussions.

– Teen use of music in the news.

– Emerging technologies for use in the libraries, or for our patrons.

I look forward to the discussions and positive influence this group will have on teens and librarians-serving-teens across the country.’  Please do not hesitate to post on the listerv, member or not.’  All contributions are welcome.

New group on ALA Connect

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I have been a member of USBBY (The US Board on Books for Youth) for some several years. I served as YALSA’s liaison to the Board and now serve as the NCTE rep. It is the American arm of IBBY (The International Board on Books for Youth). The focus of USBBY and IBBY is to bring attention to literacy throughout the world and to celebrate literature from other countries. Each year, USBBY sponsors lists that include books for children with disabilities and outstanding international books. You can read more about the organization at its web site (www.usbby.org).

You are invited to join a new Community on ALA Connect open to people interested in promoting international understanding and good will through books and literacy services to children and teenagers. Once you join the
community (you don’t need to be an ALA member) you can post pertinent information, register information about upcoming conferences of interest to the community on the calendar, post documents or open online discussions and chats.

Hope you will check it out at:
http://connect.ala.org/node/94955

Council & ALA Connect

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Some interesting discussion going on over on the ALA Council email list. Raise your hand if you don’t know what Council is….

Ah, I thought so.

Council is one of the ALA über-committees, responsible for policy and governance for the entire association. Think of it like Congress…there are elected representatives from every chapter, division, round table, and whatnot. I’m an at-large Councilor, nearing the end of my three year term. Not much YALSA representation on Council at the moment, so you should think about running.

At the moment, Councilors are discussing ALA Connect on the listserv. Some are trying it out, posting discussions there. Some contend that it’s better to keep discussion all in one place, rather than scattered around in a bunch of places where you have to go look for it.

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