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Category Archives: Youth Services
IMLS Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Grants – Deadline Jun 15, 2012
Closing Date for Applications: June 15, 2012
Award Amount: Up to $100,000
Issuing agency: Institue of Museum and Library Services
Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums will support planning and design activities for spaces that foster experimentation and creativity for middle- and high-school youth in library- and museum-based, out-of-school-time settings. The labs should be grounded in evidence-based research on youth, and should be designed to support youth learning in such 21st century skills as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). These grants will enable grantees to develop comprehensive plans for programs, space, staffing, and budgeting for their Learning Labs. The awards may also be used to prototype certain lab activities or experiences. In addition, the grants may be used to support emerging learning labs that are already in the process of serving middle- and high-school youth with innovative digital media and learning and need additional funds to enhance their efforts, provided that they are aligned with the grant program criteria.
Eligibility: To be eligible as a library applicant for a Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums, you must: •be either a unit of State or local government or a private nonprofit organization that has tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code. •be located in one of the 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau; and •qualify as one of the following six types of organizations: a library or a parent organization, such as a school district, a municipality, a state agency, or an academic institution, that is responsible for the administration of a library. Eligible libraries include public libraries, public elementary and secondary school libraries, college and university libraries, research libraries and archives that are not an integral part of an institution of higher education and that make publicly available library services and materials that are suitable for scholarly research and not otherwise available. Private or special libraries that have been deemed eligible to participate in this program by the State in which the library is located; an academic or administrative unit, such as a graduate school of library and information science that is part of an institution of higher education through which it would make application; a library agency that is an official agency of a State or other unit of government and is charged by the law governing it with the extension and development of public library services within its jurisdiction; a library consortium that is a local, statewide, regional, interstate, or international cooperative association of library entities that provides for the systematic and effective coordination of the resources of eligible libraries, as defined above, and information centers that work to improve the services delivered to the clientele of these libraries; or a library association that exists on a permanent basis, serves libraries or library professionals on a national, regional, state, or local level, and engages in activities designed to advance the well-being of libraries and the library profession.
Details are available at http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=20.
Nebraska Learns 2.0: Make a Movie and Fix Copyright
Nebraska Learns 2.0 is the Nebraska Library Commission’s ongoing online learning program. It is a self-discovery program which encourages participants to take control of their own learning and to utilize their lifelong learning skills through exploration and PLAY.
Each month, we offer you an opportunity to learn a new Thing (or lesson). You have all month to complete that Thing and receive one CE credit. You may choose which Things to do based on personal interest and time availability. If the Thing of the month doesn’t interest you or if you are particularly busy that month, you can skip it.
The Thing for April is: Make a Movie with Xtranormal.
What I really want to do is…direct! Well, now you can. And you don’t even need to leave your library to do it. For this month’s Thing, we will learn how to use Xtranormal to create an online animated movie to promote your library and its services.
Another facet of Nebraska Learns 2.0 is BookThing. Each month we pick a single title that we feel has relevance to librarianship and/or information theory. Some of the titles will be very obviously related, while others may not seem so on the surface but there is a connection. Your assignment will be to read the book and create a blog post answering some questions about the title.
The BookThing for April is: “How to Fix Copyright” by William Patry.
If you are new to Nebraska Learns 2.0, your first assignment is to sign up to participate. This program is open to ALL Nebraska librarians, library staff, library friends, library board members and school media specialists.
We hope you’ll join your library colleagues in the fun as you learn about new and exciting technologies!
What’s Sally Reading?
Fabulous Films for Young Adults: an ALA/YALSA list coming for the first time in 2013!
The first nominations for Fab Films 2013 are now up! The theme for this first year is Survival (think external conflict like weather, war, zombies, etc). There is a nice variety of titles already nominated, you can view them here:
You also are welcome and encouraged to submit a field nomination. There is no date limitation beyond that is has to be on DVD by the time nominations close on Dec 1st. DVDs also have to be widely available for purchase. The nomination form is available here. More information about the committee and criteria can be found here.
I recently read One Foot Two Feet by Peter Maloney. This picture book has a die cut square in the center of every other right side page to help introduce words that do not use “s” to make a plural. The first page states, “one foot” with the illustration inside the square, turn the page and you have “two feet” and see the entire illustration. The book is also a counting book of sorts, each page start with “one mouse” or “one goose” but goes on to state “three mice” and “four geese” as it counts to ten. It is a fun and clever approach to a possibly confusing topic.
Sorry I have been on the road so much in February and March I didn’t get “What’s Sally Reading?” up on our home page during that time.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Time to prepare for celebrating El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) April 30
More Resources Available to Libraries Serving Diverse Populations
(CHICAGO) As the nation’s population continues to become more diverse, more resources to serve those populations are now available to libraries through the new website devoted to El día de los niños/El día de los libros . (Children’s Day/Book Day), known as Día. Día encourages libraries to support multicultural family literacy throughout the year; and to celebrate children and literacy annually on April 30th
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, has redesigned and reorganized the Día website to offer models of various scope and budget for libraries conducting Día programming. These models are included in a Resource Guide, designed to help libraries with all parts of Día programming. The Resource Guide may be found on the Día website.
A generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, to support Everyone Reads @ your library, is allowing ALSC to use the new website to extend Día’s reach to parents, caregivers and children by providing resources directed to them. The site provides a brochure with a book list of more than 200 titles that features books in nine languages. Activity sheets, for use at home, are also included on the website.
An online Publicity Tool Kit is now available for libraries to use for their Dia events. Included in the Kit is a sample press release, to help libraries reach out to their communities. The Kit may be found at http://tinyurl.com/diapubtools .
Libraries are invited to share their Día activities with other libraries across the country by registering their event through the database located on the website. To each registrant, ALSC will send complimentary stickers and buttons to promote library Día events, while supplies last. Parents and others interested in Día can search the database map for local programs and events; and librarians can review the activities other libraries to learn from their successes.
Día is an enhancement of Children’s Day, which began in 1925. Children’s Day was designated as a day to bring attention to the importance and well-being of children. In 1996, nationally acclaimed children’s book author Pat Mora proposed linking the celebration of childhood and children with literacy to found El día de los niños/El día de los libros. ALSC is collaborating on this effort with the Founding Partner of Dia, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA).
For the Resources Guide, book lists, additional information and to register a Día event, please visit http://dia.ala.org.
About The Association for Library Service to Children
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) develops and supports the profession of children’s librarianship by enabling and encouraging its practitioners to provide the best library service to our nation’s children. ALSC provides leadership to the profession and public on behalf of high quality library services that support children in becoming lifelong learners.
About The American Library Association
The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 67,000 members. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information.
About Dollar General
Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with more than 9,000 neighborhood stores in 35 states. Dollar General stores provide convenience and value to customers by offering consumable basic items such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids and cleaning supplies, as well as basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices. The company has a longstanding tradition of supporting literacy and education. Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $50 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 2.8 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com.
About REFORMA
Established in 1971 as an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), REFORMA has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff; the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share our goals; the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos.
###
Macey Morales
Manager Media Relations, ALA
312-280-4393
mmorales@ala.org
Follow me on twitter at #MaceyALA
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What’s Sally Reading?
“Geek Out @ your library” for Teen Tech Week!
March 4 – 10 is Teen Tech Week brought to you by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of ALA. Take a look here to find Toolkits and to register before Monday, February 13. You can glean ideas from the “Photos” on the main page. Under Toolkits, look for “25 Easy Tips for Teens” – you do not have to register or be a member to access this list of ideas for your teens. Hope you have a great week!
I recently finished The Lost Stories by John Flanagan. Fans not ready to say good-by to Will, Halt and others of the “Ranger’s Apprentice” series have this one last chance to read more about them. Set up as an archeological discovery in 1896, these final ten stories are the verification that the Ranger Corp did once actually exist. Bravery, loyalty, and humor are again hallmarks of this popular and incredible series.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Scottsbluff has one of ten Top Children’s Libraries
Livability.com has announced their list of the Top 10 Children’s Libraries in the country. The Lied Scottsbluff Public Library was named number four on that list. Congratulations to the library, staff, and community! If you get the chance, stop in to visit the library and take a look at the children’s area.
The Top 10 Children’s Libraries
1. ImaginOn – Charlotte, NC
2. Tulsa City County Library – Tulsa, OK
3. Vancouver Community Library – Vancouver, WA
4. Lied Scottsbluff Public Library – Scottsbluff, NE
5. Iowa City Public Library – Iowa City, IA
6. El Paso Public Library – El Paso, TX
7. Laramie County Library – Cheyenne, WY
8. Brentwood Public Library – Brentwood, TN
9. Birmingham Public Library – Birmingham, AL
10. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County – Cincinnati, OH
To see more information about Scottsbluff’s wonderful children’s area on Livability.com, go here.
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What’s Sally Reading?
Submit a Nomination for an Amazing Audiobook for Teens,
YALSA is requesting suggestions for audiobooks published in 2011 or 2012 that you believe are outstanding. If you listen to audio books, or if your teens are enthusiastic about a title or titles, go here to complete the suggestion form. The committee is asking for librarians to submit more suggestions for this annual list. Any title included on the most recent list, found here, is not eligible for next year’s list.
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld will be a good picture book choice for the upcoming summer reading program. It is a poetic look at various machinery working at a construction site. Four pages each tell of a particular machine and its work on the building, then that it is time for sleep. Clever illustrations show a cement truck with a blanket only covering a part of his drum, and a bulldozer snuggling into the piles of dirt that look like a bed. Sure to be a hit at story time!
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Lied Scottsbluff Public Library named one of the Top 10 Children’s Libraries by Livability.com
Scottsbluff made the list!
Lied Scottsbluff Public Library in Scottsbluff, NE has been named one of the Top 10 Children’s Libraries by Livability.com, a national website that highlights more than 500 of America’s best places to live.
Livability.com editors looked at 500 communities across the country to find the best libraries for kids. The children’s libraries selected not only look amazing, they also offer great programs and get kids excited about reading, learning and exploring. Editors consulted several nationally recognized authorities on the subject of libraries and children’s literature, including the American Library Association, to determine criteria for the ranking. Among them: the library’s responsiveness to community’s needs.
“[A library] should be responsive to its community rather than beholden to some kind of national standard,” said Roger Sutton, editor in chief of The Horn Book, which reviews and tracks children’s and young adult literature. “The best libraries pay attention to their communities and the best librarians are those who really pay attention to the child in front of them, as well as the child who is not there but should be.”
The Lied Scottsbluff Public Library was chosen for its visually appealing spaces for children, full range of programs, large collection of books, integration of new technologies and proven success in getting kids to engage. Read more about why they made the list.
Congratulations to the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library!
Academic Freedom Video Contest
Nebraska High School Students Speak Out!!
AFCON announces the 2012
Academic Freedom
Video Contest
for Nebraska High School Students
DEADLINE: March 23, 2012
$1,000 in cash & prizes!
Nebraska High School Students: make your 30-second to 2-minute video on topics such as:
- Intellectual freedom in education
- Freedom of believe & expression in class
- Freedom to access information and ideas in school
- Freedom of expression in school newspapers
- Freedom of expression in school theater productions
For contest rules, entry and release forms, and for the contest flyer go to http://www.nebafcon.org/
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ALA Youth Media Awards Announced!
Here are the award winners and honor books as announced this morning by ALA.
ALSC Awards (Assication of Library Services for Children):
John Newbery Medal:
Award: Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
Honor:
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Breaking Stalin’s Nose illustrated & written by Eugene Yelchin
Caldecott Medal:
Award: A Ball for Daisy illustrated & written by Chris Raschka
Honor:
Blackout illustrated & written by John Rocco
Grandpa Green illustrated & written by Lane Smith
Me…Jane illustrated & written by Patrick McDonnell
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award:
Award: Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider
Honor:
I Broke My Trunk by Moe Willems
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
See Me Run by Paul Meisel
Robert F. Sibert Medal:
Award: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade written & illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Honor:
Black & White: The Confrontation of Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor by Larry Dane Brimner
Drawing From Memory written & illustrated by Allen Say
The Elephant Scientist by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson
Witches!: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster by Rosalyn Schanzer
Mildred L. Batchelder Award (honors the publisher of a book originally published in a language other than English.)
Award: Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak
Honor: The Lily Pond by Annika Thor
Pura Belpré Award: (co-sponsored by ASLC & REFORMA) celebrates the Latino culture
Illus. Award: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours illustrated & written by Duncan Tonatiuh
Honor:
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/ Marisol McDonald no Combina illustrated by Sara Palacios and written by Monica Brown
Author Award: Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Honor:
Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller written and illustrated by Xavier Garza
Hurricane dancers: the first Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck by Margarita Engle
YALSA Awards (Young Adult Library Services Association):
Micheal L. Printz Award:
Award: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Honor:
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
The Returning by Christine Hinwood
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
YALSA Excellence for NF Award:
Award: The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
Finalists:
Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science by Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos
Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal
Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy
Music was It: Young Leonard Bernstein by Susan Goldman Rubin
William C. Morris Award:
Award: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Honor:
The Girl of Fire & Thorns by Rae Carson
Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Margaret A. Edwards Award: (Significant and lasting contribution to Young Adult literature.)
Susan Cooper
Other ALA Awards:
Coretta Scott King Awards:
CSK Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award: (lifetime achievement presented every 2 years for lasting …)
Ashley Bryan (Let It Shine, Beautiful Blackbird, and more )
He was the first African-American to both write and illustrate a children’s book.
Illustrator Award:
Award: Shane W. Evans for Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom (illustrator and author)
Honor: Kadir Nelson for Heart & Soul (illustrator and author)
Author Award:
Award: Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul
Eloise Greenfield for The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Patricia C. McKissack for Never Forgotten
Schneider Family Book Awards:
Children – the committee chose not to select a title, no submission was deemed worthy
Middle – selected two titles for this group:
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Teen – The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Stonewall Childrens & YA lit award:
Award: Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright
Honor:
A+ e 4ever by Ilike Merey
Money Boy by Paul Yee
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
with or without you by Brian Farrey
Andrew Carnegie Medal (excellence in video for children):
“Children Make Terrible Pets” by Peter Brown
Odyssey Award (best audio produced for children or teens) administered by ALSC & YLSA
Award: “Rotters” written by Daniel Kraus
Honor:
“Ghetto Cowboy”
“Okay for Now”
“TheScorpio Races”
“Young Fredle”
May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award:
2013 lecture delivered by Michael Morpurgo
(I’m sorry, I missed the announcement of the Alex Awards while trying to log in to the streaming video.)
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What’s Sally Reading?
YALSA Video Academy is free to librarians!
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) revealed their new Video Academy project on January 17, 2012. Right now there are twelve You Tube videos on topics ranging from “Twitter Basics” to “Running a Mock Printz Program” with times varying from 1 minute to 7 minutes long. Go here to view the topics. YALSA encourages you to watch them at your convenience and at no charge. They also suggest librarians create and submit videos to add to the selection. If you are interested in creating a video, start at their FAQ. Just so you know, because these videos are so short, you will not be able to earn CE credit for them (the video or training must last at least 20 minutes to receive CE credit) but they will certainly be helpful to you. However, if you create a video you could earn CE credit, talk to Laura Johnson.
Yesterday I finished reading Here Lies Linc by Delia Ray. Linc is 12 and just started junior high. His earlier schooling was as part of the Ho-Hos: Home-Away-From-Home School taught by a retired professor. His father died when he was seven, and he and his mother live next to the town cemetery. The Adopt-a-Grave class assignment is the catalyst for all kinds of trouble (and revelations) that mires Linc in several messes. His theft of a crypt key to impress another student is his worst move. Linc finds navigating junior high; and changing relationships with friends, former friends, and family are a lot to take on in his first fall at a public school. This title will appeal to readers in grades 4-7, and the real epitaphs from tombstones that start each chapter could result in readers trying their own hands at it. This title will also work well with the 2013 summer reading program topic: underground.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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ALA Book Awards will be announced January 23, 2012!
Awards from the Association of Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are always announced on the Monday of the ALA Midwinter meeting. That will happen on January 23rd this year. You can watch the announcement live online. Details are here. Afterwards, if you wish, you can share your thoughts on the winners by posting or Tweeting (please use #alayma and #bestofyalit). I can’t wait!
Stars by Mary Lynn Ray is a fun title for next year’s summer reading program. The joy of stars is celebrated in this appealing picture book. While children cannot put a real star in their pockets, they can cut one out of shiny paper. They can find stars in the garden (strawberry blossoms) in the woods (moss on a tree) and in winter (snowflakes). Marla Frazee’s amazing illustrations convey the beauty and wonder of stars.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Walter Dean Myers is the new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Walter Dean Myers was sworn in on Monday, January 10, for his two-year appointment as the country’s next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. He was interviewed Monday on National Public Radio and said his theme will be: Reading is Not Optional. He hopes to encourage parents, relatives, friends to read aloud to very young children to help them get a good start in life. To listen to the interview or read a transcript of it, go to this site.
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What’s Sally Reading?
Graphic Novel collections in libraries, a nonscientific survey.
Last month Robin Brenner, creator and editor of No Flying, No Tights web page, posted a survey to learn more about what type of graphic novel collections public libraries currently have. Responses came from libraries in the U.S. and Canada. Visit her report on this survey here. She does mention that other types of libraries also responded and she will post again about those, so you may want to keep an eye on her site.
Today I read a library copy of Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Wendell Minor. It looks like a picture book, but School Library Journal and I agree that it is aimed at about grades two to four or five. It is a lyrical look at the determination and courage Amelia Earhart demonstrated during the first flight across the Atlantic by a woman (and only the second nonstop flight at that time!) Illustrations dominate the pages with text in black or white, as needed. A quote from the book, encasing a quote from Amelia Earhart, “And now she must cross this dark and seething ocean. Why? Because ‘women must try to do things men have tried.'”
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Best Book lists for 2011 are popping up all over!
Best Books of the year lists are starting to sprout up all over. Kirkus recently placed their choices online. Go here for their list. The list of the best according to School Library Journal can be found here. The New York Times also has their list up on their web site. I’m sure more will be showing up soon!
And, not coincidentally, you can look at my list of books for 2011 (with some 2010 titles included), presented at the NLA/NEMA conference on October 7, by going to the “handouts” page on the Library Commission’s web site, or view the archive of my presentation on “NCompass Live” from December 21.
I recently finished 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel (divided by) 1 Dog = Chaos by Vivian Vande Velde and illustrated by Steve Björkman. (If anyone knows where to find the division symbol in Word, please let me know, I sure didn’t see it anywhere.) Twitch, the squirrel living outside the school is chased by a dog and runs into the building one late afternoon. The story is told alternatively by the different class pets in each room Twitch runs into looking for help. A rollicking tale of pandemonium and near disaster. Frequent illustrations add to the fun in this early chapter book of 68 pages.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Youth Grants for Excellence Awarded
Twelve public libraries and one regional library system were awarded Youth Grants for Excellence on November 3, 2011, for a total of $19,668. Recipients are:
Blair Public Library
Central City Public Library
Falls City Library & Arts Center
Kearney Public Library
La Vista Public Library
Omaha Public Library
Sump Memorial Library, Papillion
Plattsmouth Public Library
Lied Randolph Public Library
Schuyler Public Library
Lied Scottsbluff Public Library
Springfield Memorial Library
Eastern Library System
Congratulations! We look forward to hearing more about your projects and how they are helping your communities.
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What’s Sally Reading?
A Contest for the New Year!
YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) has an online literature blog, The Hub, and right now it has a fun contest you are invited to enter. All you need to do is write a fabricated summary of a book title. Choose from the list of titles and make up a plot that matches the title. Submit your entry by January 20, 2012. Go here for the titles and to enter the contest. Good luck! (And you may decide to look at The Hub regularly, it has book reviews, “Tweets of the Week,” interviews with authors, and more!)
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick is another amazing book in the vein of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. He tells the stories of two people in alternating sections: one is Rose, a girl who is deaf living in 1927 and her story is told completely in illustration. The other story is told in text about Ben, a boy in 1977 who loses his hearing after being struck by lightning.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Letters About Literature due soon!
Please talk with the children or teens in your library about the possibility of one or more of them entering the Letters About Literature contest. Your students or patrons must each choose a book that made a difference in his or her life, and think about how the book affected them. Then they are ready to write a letter to the author, letting him or her know about how reading it affected the child or teen. There are three ages levels for the contest: Level I for young readers in grades 4-6, Level II for readers in grades 7-8, and Level III for readers in grades 9-12. The deadline for submission is January 6, 2012. To learn more, visit the national website here
or take a look at the Nebraska website here.
Not so long ago I read The Strange Case of Origama Yoda by Tom Angleberger, it is great fun! It is a collection of stories about advice an origama Yoda gives to kids in the 6th grade at McQuarrie Middle School. The stories are collected by Tommy, who is friends with the kind-of-weird kid, Dwight, who made Origama Yoda and walks around with it on his finger. Tommy is collecting information because he wants to know if he should trust Origama Yoda with a very important question (about a girl) and he is puzzled that Origami Yoda gives such good advice when Dwight is rather clueless. (a sequel is out now: Darth Paper Strikes Back.)
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library
Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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YALSA 2012 Literature Symposium, mark your calendar!
Plan now to attend “The Future of Young Adult Literature: Hit Me With the Next Big Thing” scheduled for November 2 – 4, 2012. It will be held in St. Louis, Missouri – not too far from us! There is not very much information about the event yet, but go here for starters and keep an eye on the page since they will be adding a list of participating authors as well as programs and presenters.
A favorite book from my “Best Youth Books of 2011” list is Pika: Life in the Rocks by Tannis Bill, it took me back to the days I used to hike trails with my friends in Rocky Mountain National Park. We did occasionally see pikas in the higher elevations, before they scurried away. The book is an introduction to the life of a pika living in the Rocky Mountains. Lots of excellent photos add to the brief text, which contains one to five sentences per page. It also includes some interesting “Pika Facts” at the back of the book. It is aimed at children in preschool through first grade (or so), but anyone interested in these small, hardy animals will enjoy it.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Neal Shusterman is Visiting Nebraska!
We are thrilled that Neal Shusterman, the author of our One Book for Nebraska Teens 2010-2011, Unwind, as well as many other books for teens, is visiting our state during the week of October 24-28, 2011. Librarians, teachers, and other interested adults are welcome at each of the sites. Please call the hosting library to be sure there will be room for you before you attend. The schedule for his visit is:
Monday, Oct. 24: starting at 8:50 am at the Scottsbluff High School auditorium, hosted by the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library.
Starting at 1:30 pm at the Alliance Middle School theater, hosted by the Alliance Public Library.
Tuesday, Oct. 25: starting at 9:00 am at the Lexington Middle School, hosted by the Lexington Public Library.
Starting at 2:00 pm at the Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schools, hosted by the school.
Wednesday, Oct. 26: starting at 9:18 am at the Columbus Middle School gym, hosted by the Columbus Public Library.
Starting at 1:00 pm at the Battle Creek High School library, hosted by the Lied Battle Creek Public Library. (This one could be crowded.)
Thursday, Oct. 27: starting at 9:00 am at the Wayne High School, hosted by the school.
Starting at 2:00 pm at the South Sioux City Middle School, hosted by the South Sioux City Public Library.
Friday, Oct. 28: starting at 9:00 am (or a bit earlier) at the Blair Middle School, hosted by the Blair Public Library.
Starting at 1:45 pm at the Ralston High School theater, hosted by the school.
It should be a great week!
The tour is sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems, funded in part by the Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Humanities Council, and Nebraska
Cultural Endowment.
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