Published bi-weekly by
Read to Me, a service of the Idaho Commission for Libraries
In this Issue:
Welcome
Happy New Year! Isn't it great to get a fresh start every year? To have a new calendar to open and 12 months of possibilies? Your Scoop editors send wishes for your health, happiness and luck with all your New Year resolutions! Here are a few to consider:
- Read more books. Here are a couple of great websites to visit: Nancy Pearl, Book Sense. Check out the Book Look section below for links to award-winning books.
- Download an e-audiobook from LiLI-ABC. There are thousands of books to choose from, it's easy and it's free for all Idahoans.
- Send Peggy or Stephanie a book review, great idea or photo from your library for The Scoop. We are always eager to hear your ideas and share them with Scoop readers.
- Share the Scoop with a co-worker and encourage them to subscribe by following this link.
See how other countries celebrate the new year. The Chinese New Year begins on February 7, 2008, and it will be the Year of the Rat. Here at the Commission it will be the year of the "bug," in honor of the 2008 summer reading theme "Catch the Reading Bug." Read more about it in Summer Reading News below. In case you are anxious to have 2008 over, here is a website that tracks how much time remains in 2008! www.timeanddate.com/counters/newyear.html
NEWS FLASH! Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter recommends funding for Read to Me and includes it in the 2008 State of the State address!
We appreciate Governor Otter and Idaho First Lady Lori Otter and the support they have provided for Read to Me programs. Here’s the excerpt from the January 7th State of the State speech where Governor Otter talks about the program:
“Friends, we know from experience that education is the key to many of the challenges we face. While it may not be the solution in every case, it certainly is an essential element to finding solutions. That search starts in childhood. And nothing empowers children and unleashes their potential like enabling them to dream. If you’re anything like me, your own ability to dream probably depends on what and how much you read as a child. So let’s help Idaho’s children dream big dreams. I’m proposing that we expand the “Read to Me” program to reach an additional 5,000 children and 30 more libraries throughout Idaho.”
The Governor supported the first year expansion request which includes funding for 30 mini-grants and expansion of the First Book and Jump Start programs. The next step in the legislative approval process is the Idaho Commission for Libraries’ budget presentation before the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on January 18th.
The Idaho Library Association has posted information about the Read to Me request at www.idaholibraries.org/files/Read%20to%20Me%20Q-A.doc.
Meet Amanda Pittman
Amanda Pittman (pictured at left with son Max) is a Youth Services Librarian at the Ada Community library. She has been in the library field since 2000. Amanda was working as a shelver at the Fort Collins, Colorado, Public Library when she decided she wanted to pursue an MLIS and become a librarian. Amanda has been at Ada Community since 2002. One thing Amanda is proud of is that her library was the first in their consortium to offer a juvenile video game collection.
Amanda does programs for babies and preschoolers and also assists all ages (parents included) at the Youth Services Reference Desk. She also does collection development, Ada Babies (lapsit program), Preschool Art, and other special programs and projects.
When asked about what attracted her to library service for children and youth, Amanda explained," When I was working towards my MLIS (in South Carolina) my husband and I knew that we wanted to move to Boise. I purposely generalized my studies so that I would have a better chance of getting any kind of librarian job. Luckily the job that I did get when we moved here was in children's services, which is great, because I know now that this is where I belong!"
Currently, the Ada Community Library is planning a Fairytale Ball and Amanda is working on that. She is also really focusing on weeding the nonfiction collections. And, the library received a grant from Target to create what will be called Family Packs. These will be bags containing several copies of a children's fiction book such as Charlotte's Web. A movie and audio of the book will be included and probably a discussion guide and music from the movie also. This way a family or group of people can all read the book, watch the movie and discuss it together. Amanda is currently developing these ideas.
Amanda's favorite thing about her job is working with children's books. She shared, "One of my all time favorite books is the City of Ember because it has such a great ending and is so imaginative. I also really enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Bromeliad Trilogy because of its humor and underlying message. As a child, I loved the Chronicles of Narnia and I memorized The d'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths. Recently, I have read The Castle Carona by Sharon Creech, Airborne by Kenneth Oppel and Cracker the Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata."
Amanda has served on ICFL's Daring Dreamers summer reading steering committee and is the Idaho representative to the Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Readers' Choice Award (YCRA) committee.
Amanda's favorite flavor of ice cream is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. When not working, you can find Amanda hanging out with her son Max husband Andy, and her dog Satchel.
Library to Library
How Idaho libraries are using retailing methods
Darlene Hotchkiss and Barbara Bowman, librarians at the Panther School Library in Parma, attended the “Trading Spaces” preconference at the ILA annual conference in October and immediately went to work revamping their space. We’re highlighting a few of the changes they made in this issue and we’ll be reporting what other library staff members have done since attending the workshop in upcoming issues. We’d love to include photos of any retailing methods and displays that you’ve tried at your library. E-mail them to Stephanie.
“We put up the Chicken Soup display (click on thumbnail photo to make it bigger) after our return from the Trading Spaces workshop,” Darlene said. “This display was quite effective. The books flew off the shelf.”
Another tactic the Parma school librarians have been using for awhile is displaying three-dimensional objects as “guideposts” on the shelves. “For example, we have a Turtle on with the Fiction T’s. We also found that putting these items on low-use top and bottom shelves works well. Thus the Duck with Fiction D’s is on a bottom shelf, and the Circus pictures with Fiction C’s is on a top shelf."
They use this scheme in non-fiction, too (see the photo of outlaw in the 970s). "Most of the items I’ve brought from home, but people have noticed and brought in other things to give us as well! Finally, something that was validated at the workshop was our decision to leave up our Cinco de Mayo display for a while. Because we have a large Hispanic population, we wanted to reflect that in our library.”
The International Reading Association Children’s Book Choices (CBC-IRA) display also came about after the Trading Spaces workshop. “We purposefully sought out and designated some categories that would showcase titles, and this was one of them. Yes, if the books are in the spotlight, they do get checked out!”
Here's another great idea to get students into libraries. “Prior to the workshop, we had been trying some ploys to get more students — especially high school students — into the library, as well as brightening up the place overall and trying to make it more user-friendly. The photo of picture displays was a blatant appeal to young egotism! Students LOVE to come see their pictures on display. I try to go to a great many activities (band and choir concerts, banquets, fundraisers, sports events, etc.), where I take pictures. We (my colleague and our student assistants) print out these pictures and put together poster displays. We’ve actually heard some students boasting of the number of times they appear on displays in the library!" Darlene said.
"We had a local seamstress create cozy pillows for our windowseats. The ultrasuede fabric was donated by Caledonia Fabrics of Boise. We were also fortunate to have a local company, I/D/E/A gift us with bookmarks created by one of their professional artists. The design is unique to our library and can be seen at the library’s webpage www.parmaschools.org/Libraries/Panther_Library/." You can also see the "Panther pillows" there.
Thanks for sharing your great ideas, Darlene. The staff at the Panther Library is anxious to see what other libraries are doing and so are we! Please share what you're doing to make your library more teen-friendly.
The Traveling Lantern group will present a Summer Reading play at Idaho libraries if Weippe Public Library can get performance commitments from a minimum of 10 libraries. By sharing the tour, each library may receive a 10% discount. Each library branch counts as one performance, and may be eligible for an additional 10% discount for same-day performances. Neighboring libraries that schedule same-day performances may also qualify. Grant funds or other resources have been used in the past to help fund this program.
Add your library to the tour by contacting Weippe Public Library Director Terri Summerfield or Youth Services Librarian Eva Griffin at 208-435-4058 or weippelibrary@weippe.com before January 30. Here's a little more information about the program:
The Caterpillar Hunter: A Vegetable Safari!
Based on the beloved character of the late Steve Irwin, the Caterpillar Hunter shrinks himself and sets off to explore the terrain - pursuing elusive bugs and strange herbage in the wild recesses of a common North American vegetable garden. Crikey! Join in his exciting backyard adventure!
This show complements the CLSP Summer Reading Theme: "Catch the Reading Bug!" The price for any Traveling Lantern show is $495. This price includes everything. More information is available at: http:www.travelinglantern.com/.
The Jerome Public Library started the busy book club for elementary-aged students in September 2006 and it's been going strong since then. Children's Librarian Linda Henderson says the kids meet on Fridays after school. "This is so rewarding for me to see the immense interest these kids have shown in this club," she said. There are about 24 active members. They usually discuss a selected book and will bring in a Mystery Reader at times. The group has also put on library programs for families in the community and have gone to care centers to sing Christmas carols (as shown in the picture). Another favorite activity has been gathering donated books and delivering them to needy people in the community such as the Twin Falls Safe House, The Pregnancy Crisis Center, Crisis Center of Magic Valley, and the Valley House. "These kids are great," Linda said.
Linda would love to know if any other Idaho libraries have a book club for elementary-age children. She'd love to know what kinds of activities you have tried and what books the kids like the most. If you have a club at your library, please e-mail Stephanie and we'll include your experiences in the next issue and pass them along to Linda.
Young Adult Corner
In the last issue, we highlighted results of the latest National Endowment for the Arts study, "To Read or Not to Read." See www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html for links to the executive summary and full report.
In commenting on the report, American Library Association’s president Loriene Roy reiterated the need for young adult services. According to Public Library Data Service Statistical Report, only half of U.S. public libraries have a librarian dedicated full time to young adult services. More than ten percent reported they do not offer programming targeted to young adults.
An article in American Libraries (October 2007, p. 52-54, Teens and the Future of Reading) the 51 percent of libraries that employ a full-time Y.A. librarian is a huge jump from 1995 when only 11 percent had such staff.
The article highlights a new Harris Interactive poll that shows youth are going to libraries in record numbers. Just one in five say they have not been to the library in the past year. The really good news is that 78 percent say they go to the library “to borrow books and other materials for my personal use.” How to get even more to check out materials? “Fully a third say they would use the library more if there were more interesting materials to borrow.”
For more ideas on how Idaho libraries can improve services for teens and twenty-somethings, see the results of Idaho’s Digital Native Focus Groups, found at http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/2007-digital-native-rpt.pdf .
Go Overboard Challenge Grant
Award-winning young adult novelist Justina Chen Headley, Burton Snowboards, and Youth Venture are co-sponsoring the Go Overboard Challenge Grant to fund the best youth-led ideas to change the world. Justina has a longstanding commitment to tie community service benefiting teens to every single YA novel she publishes. So in honor of her new book, Girl Overboard (where a teen finds her true power through community service), she and her partners are giving away 12 grants, $1,000 each to inspire teens to become changemakers. Eligibility: students ages 12-20 who have an idea to improve their school, neighborhood, city, country, or the world. Students need an adult sponsor, such as a librarian or teacher, to endorse their grant application. Deadline: May 1, 2008. For more information, go to www.burton.com/gobsite/ChallengeGrant.aspx.
Book Look
Mock Caldecott Event Held at Ada Community Library
Director Mary DeWalt and youth services staff from Ada Community Library welcomed area librarians to a Mock Caldecott event at their library on December 13. Attending librarians met in small groups to review some selected books, using the Caldecott criteria. Votes were cast and the winners announced. Thanks to children's librarian Amanda Pittman for sending us the complete list of books to share with Scoop readers. The top vote getters in a four-way tie were:
- 17 Things I'm Not Allowed To Do Anymore, by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
- How Big Is It? A Big Book All About Bigness, by Ben Hillman
- Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
- Over In The Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme, by Marianne Berkes and illustrated by Jeanette Canyon
Young Readers Choice Awards
Nominations for the 2009 Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award are due by February 1st. Please email nominations to the YRCA chair, Barbra Meisenheimer at bmeisenheimer@fvrl.org. Please include the title, author, copyright date and the division where you feel the book fits best (Junior Division-Grades 4-6, Intermediate Division-Grades 7-9, Senior Division-Grades 10-12). Books eligible for the 2009 YRCA award must have a copyright of 2006. Nominations may include non-fiction, graphic novels, animae and manga. Please contact Amanda Pittman, Ada Community Library, or visit the YRCA website for more information.
Check out this great resouce sent to LIBIDAHO by Katie O'Dell, Reading Promotions Coodinator at Multnomah County Library in Portland, "Once again, Multnomah County Library's Talk It Up! Web site is offering free discussion guides to the 2008 Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees. Each guide features a summary and book discussion questions. Many of the guides also feature booktalks, recommended reading, and even snack ideas. Check out the guides at www.multcolib.org/talk/ Talk It Up! features over 200 discussion guides to popular and classic children's and young adult books as well as tips on facilitating a book group, universal discussion questions and more . Start discussing!"
Award-Winning Books
The American Library Association (ALA) will provide a free live Webcast of its national announcement of the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults - including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards - on January 14 at 7:45 AM EST (6:45 AM for those of us in Central Standard Time). The award announcements are made as part of the ALA Midwinter Meeting, which will bring together more than 10,000 librarians, publishers, authors and guests in Philadelphia from January 11 to 16.
Unikron, a streaming content provider, will host the ALA's Webcast. Online visitors will be able to view the live Webcast the morning of the announcements by going to www.unikron.com/clients/ala-webcast-2008. This link is not yet live, but librarians and others interested in following the action online should bookmark and use this URL - instead of the ALA home page - on January 14. The number of available connections for the Webcast will be limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The press release announcing all of the winners will be available online at www.ala.org at 10:30 a.m. EST.
For ALA Midwinter Meeting participants, the press conference will be held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center Ballroom B and doors open at 7:30 a.m. Awards to be announced January 14 are:
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Alex Awards for the best adult books that appeal to a teen audience
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Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of books for children and young adults that reflect the best in artistic and literary expression of the Black experience in a pluralistic society
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Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language in a foreign country and subsequently published in English in the United States
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Pura Belpré Award recognizing a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth
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Additional information on the ALA Youth Media Awards can be found at www.ilovelibraries.org/youthmediaawards. Adult book awards also announced during the conference include: Notable Books for Adults, the Black Caucus of the ALA Literary Awards and the Stonewall Awards. For more information on ALA literary awards, please visit: www.ala.org/bookmediaawards.
Idaho library staff pick their favorite titles from 2007
We have only received two responses so far to the question of what were some books you really enjoyed in 2007. These can be children's or adult titles. Send them to Stephanie and we'll keep publishing them. Send your suggestions to Stephanie.
Rubie Gallegos at Mary McPherson Elementary in Meridian says, "My favorites this year are the Fancy Nancy's, Hugo Cabret, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Gollywhopper Games, Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One, and Listening for Lions, to name just a few!"
LeAnn Gelskey at Hailey Public Library said, "The book Water for Elephants (by Sara Gruen) has been very popular at the Hailey Public Library. I don't think it has sat on the shelf for regular check out since we received it. It is always on hold for some eager reader. I personally enjoyed it and recommend it to all. Happy New Year!"
Upcoming Events
Looking ahead, save these dates:
February & March - Reaching Out: Connecting with Your Spanish-Speaking Community workshops
Learn and share information about how your library can best meet the needs of the Spanish speaking community, ultimately identifying ways in which library services and technology can improve their lives. During the one day workshop participants will:
- Increase their awareness of cultural differences
- Learn how to build strong community partnerships
- Learn techniques for reaching out and marketing the public library and public computers
- Begin to develop an action plan for reaching out to the Spanish-speaking customer
Who should attend: All public, academic, prison, and school library staff and administrators interested in developing an action plan for reaching out to Spanish speakers and increasing their access to public computers in libraries. Library board members, friends of the library, and community partners with an interest in collaborating on action plans are also encouraged to attend. For more information, see http://libraries.idaho.gov/reaching-out.
Through a partnership with WebJunction's Spanish Language Outreach Program, Reaching Out: Connecting With Your Spanish-Speaking Community, the Idaho Commission for Libraries is conducting nine workshops across Idaho:
Library Lovers' Month - This is the celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. It's a time for everyone to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the nation's libraries will continue to serve. For more see www.nea.org/readacross/year/february.html
Black History Month - Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as “Black History Month.” What you might not know is that black history had barely begun to be studied-or even documented-when the tradition originated. See www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmintro1.html .
February 2 - Groundhog Day - Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors. For more facts about Groundhog Day go to
www.groundhog.org/
February 3-9 – Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week – set to recognize people who create books and to promote literacy. Members of the Children’s Authors Network! (CAN!) have some great resources and ideas at www.childrensauthorsnetwork.com/
February 3 and February 4 - The Nineteenth National African American Read-In - Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations, and interested citizens are urged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting and coordinating Read-Ins in their communities. For more on this subject go to www.ncte.org/prog/readin/107901.htm
February 8 is the deadline to participate in the 2008 Idaho Jump Start program. Public libraries or schools may apply to participate. The online application is available at http://libraries.idaho.gov/jumpstart-ap
February 14 – Valentine’s Day - Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.
But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? For some kids’ activities, games, fun cards and recipes go to http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-day/
February 18 – President’s Day - is the common name for the federal holiday officially designated as Washington's Birthday, and both variants are among the official names of a number of coinciding state holidays. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February. In the late 1980s, with a push from advertiser, the term Presidents Day began its public appearance. The theme has expanded the focus of the holiday to honor another President born in February, Abraham Lincoln, and often other Presidents of the United States. For more see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidents_Day_(United_States)
February 23 - March 2 – Read Me Week - Read Me Week is a week-long event highlighting the importance and fun of reading by placing reading volunteers in schools. For more see www.volunteermatch.org/results/opp_detail.jsp?oppid=41148
February 29 – Leap Year – 2008 is a leap year, with 29 days in February. February 2008 has five Fridays - it starts and ends on a Friday. Between 1904 and 2096, leap years with same day of week for each date repeat every 28 years which means that the last time February had fiveFridays was in 1980 and next time will be in 2036. Find more information at: www.timeanddate.com/date/leapyear.html
Looking Ahead to March
Held the first full week in March, Teen Tech Week urges teens to use their libraries for the different technologies they offer, such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, eletronic games, and more. It's a great time to promote e-audiobooks and the LiLI Databases. See www.ala.org/teentechweek for more information.
Read Across America Day will be celebrated March 3, 2008. See www.nea.org/readacross for more information and resources.
Author's Birthdays:
February 1 - Jerry Spinelli. Spinelli's books are funny and true to life. He wrote Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush, Maniac Magee, Stargirl, and others. For more on Jerry Spinelli and a listing of his works see www.carr.org/authco/spi-bib.htm or www.randomhouse.com/features/jerryspinelli/about.html
February 3 - Joan Lowery Nixon (1927- 2003). Joan Lowery Nixon is the award-winning author of more than 100 books for young readers, including the Orphan Train Adventures, the Orphan Train Children books, and the Ellis Island series. Nixon's books were noted for frequently having strong, self-sufficient young women as lead characters. She also co-authored several popular science books with her geologist husband, Hershell. See http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mystery/ for more information.
February 7 – Anne F. Rockwell – (born in 1934). In a career spanning more than three decades, prolific author-illustrator Anne F. Rockwell has created over one hundred titles of her own, contributed to over thirty collaborative efforts with husband Harlow Rockwell and daughter Lizzy Rockwell, and gained artwork credits on nearly 20 works by other authors. Some of her works include: I Like the Library, Walking Shoes, and When We Grow Up, Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night and Becoming Butterflies. Go to www.answers.com/topic/anne-f-oote-rockwell for ore
February 11 - Jane Yolen (born in 1939). Yolen became a children’s book writer, selling her first book on a cold February day., her 22nd birthday, as a matter of fact. It was called Pirates in Petticoats. She is also the author of Owl Moon, The Boy Who Spoke Chimp, Bird Watch, and more. See www.janeyolen.com for more.
February 12 - Judy Blume (born in 1938). She is a popular American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults. She was born and raised in New Jersey. Blume's novels for middle schoolers’ were among the first to tackle many controversial matters, these titles include: Iggie's House, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, It's Not the End of the World, Blubber, Deenie; Then Again, Maybe I Won't, Forever and more. You can also read about the author at: www.judyblume.com
February 25 – Cynthia Voigt (born in 1942). She is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as fantasy, mystery, racism and child abuse. She is the author of Homecoming, Dicey’s Song, On Fortune's Wheel, Bad Girls, Bad, Badder, Baddest and more. For more on Cynthia Voigt visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_Voigt
Summer Reading News
Time to Plan for 2008 Summer Reading
We hope all libraries will consider participating in the summer reading Bright Futures outreach opportunities. It is now even easier to apply by going to the Summer Reading website 
and clicking on the online forms. As we promised, 2008 will be the "Year of the Bug." Libraries who sign up to do the "School Visit" outreach opportunity will receive adorable plush bugs to hand out to kids when you visit their schools.
You have until March 14th to apply. If you have any questions, please contact Peggy. In 2007, 71 libraries visited over 165 schools to promote summer reading to 62,000 elementary school children. We hope to increase that by at least 10% in 2008.
Here are some great websites to help you "Catch the Reading Bug" (courtesy of the January 2, 2008 issue of Youth Services Update, Rhonda Putney, Editor, Lakeshores Library System and Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System):
Digital Dragonflies
http://www.dragonflies.org/
An online collection of dragonflies of all types. Shows specimens at high resolution, and includes a link to the online Dragonfly Museum. Includes information on the hardware and software used to scan photos of the dragonflies and descriptive lists of specimens.
Insects in Art http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/art/index.html
Brief historical perspective on the portrayal of insects in ancient art.
http://www.artsmia.org/education/teacher-resources/fivefacts.cfm?v=60
From a teacher resource page at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts website.
Insects (and Other Arthropods) in Literature
http://www.kean.edu/~scodella/InsLit.html
Humanity has been reflecting on insects for a very long time. In the Cave of Spiders near Valencia, Spain, there is a 6000-year-old petroglyph that depicts the gathering of wild honey. The Chauvet Cave paintings of southern France are, at 30,000 years of age, the oldest works of art known to us. Amidst the riot of horses, lions and rhinos on the cave walls are apparent images of butterflies and centipedes. Likewise, the oral and written traditions of many peoples include stories that feature insects or other arthropods. Throughout time, these animals have been used by writers and storytellers to flesh out a wide array of thoughts and emotions, as the selection here illustrates. Some of these pieces deal directly with insects; in other cases, the imagery is a step or two removed.
School Zone
Impact of School Media Programs Brought to VIP's Attention
In late December several Idaho Library Association (ILA) members and the State Librarian met with State Superintendent of Instruction Tom Luna and First Lady Lori Otter.
Focusing on the impact school media programs have on student success, the one-hour meeting included Sandra Shropshire, ILA president, Jillian Subach, ILA Legislation Liaison, and Glynda Pflieger, ILA Education Media Chair, and ILA legislative advisor John Watts. They were joined by State Librarian Ann Joslin and Teacher-Librarian Pam Juel.
The discussion began with an overview of studies from 18 states that demonstrate a clear correlation between the presence of a strong school media center and student success. Components of a good media center program include adequate library staffing, library staff activities, and technology. Pflieger expanded on those elements, saying, “What’s really critical to student success is what’s happening in the library, not just the facility or equipment.”
The vision ILA put before Luna and Mrs. Otter was to develop a statewide scope and sequence of what 21st century skills students should have as they pass through grade levels. Several Idaho schools have begun working with teachers to make them aware of what students need to know, from email etiquette to the evaluation of websites, but a statewide concerted effort sanctioned from the top would help students statewide. With set guidelines for student achievement, teachers could work with teacher-librarians to incorporate needed skills into their lesson plans.
The outcome of the discussion was favorable. Luna invited ILA to take the lead and provide direction for a committee to develop a statewide scope and sequence program leading to stronger school library programs. Members of the committee would also include staff from the Department of Education, the First Lady’s office and the Idaho Commission for Libraries.
“This is an important step to incorporate 21st century skills in the curriculum while recognizing the critical role teacher-librarians play in student success," Joslin said.
Know the Numbers
IMLS Issues Groundbreaking Study on Youth Programs in Museums and Libraries
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced the release of Museums and Libraries Engaging America's Youth: Final Report of a Study of IMLS Youth Programs, 1998-2003. The study, which is part of IMLS's initiative, Museums and Libraries Engaging America's Youth, examined Institute-funded programs for youth aged 9-19 and surveyed nearly 400 museum and library programs about their goals, strategies, impact, and outcomes.
The year-long study was conducted for IMLS by the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI), a nonprofit learning research organization based in Edgewater, MD, that focuses on understanding informal learning. Workshops were held at IMLS offices with a Youth Action Committee and representatives of select grants to develop a set of case studies to illustrate effective practices. Companion publications in the "Nine to Nineteen: Youth in Museums and Libraries" series include a practitioners' guide and a policy brief set for release in 2008.
Museums and libraries bring unique assets to youth development, according to the study. They include dedicated, knowledgeable staff; authentic objects, artifacts, and information resources; opportunities for personalized, hands-on learning; support for cognitive and social development; and experiences to help parents, families, and caregivers make learning fun and rewarding. According to the study, the most effective youth programs:
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include long-term, trusting, supportive relationships between and among youth, staff, and other adults;
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partner with community-based organizations and other cultural institutions;
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substantively involve youth in program design and decision making; and
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regularly assess or evaluate, using what's learned to improve the program and strengthen other youth development efforts.
To read the complete study, please go to http://www.imls.gov/pdf/YouthReport.pdf.
A Closer Look at Training & Staff Development
Libraries serve an important role in promoting early literacy skills in babies, toddlers, and preschool children. Already, libraries promote these skills through access to books, storytimes, parenting information, knowledgeable staff, and much more. The Oregon State Library has formulated “A Framework for Action” of several concrete ways public libraries can encourage children, parents, and caregivers to develop reading and language proficiency in four different areas:
• Early Literacy materials/collections
• Atmosphere/children’s environments
• Programming
• Training and staff development
Last issue we highlighted information about early literacy programming. This issue we’ve adapted their ideas on training and staff development. Some libraries may have more defined early literacy programs than others. You may be starting a program (First Steps) or be improving an already great program (Giant Steps). Take a look at the following list and check off the activities that you’re already doing. Even if you don’t have an early literacy program, you may be surprised by how much you’re already doing to prepare children to read in all three areas. And even if you’ve been working with early literacy for a long time, you may find ideas in First, Next, or Giant Steps that may help you enhance your activities. Regardless as to where you’re at in your program, we hope this inspires you to further help the children in your communities.
To encourage library staff to actively seek out personal development opportunities and build upon their early literacy knowledge…
First Steps:
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Read a new children’s book every week
- Read The Scoop!
- Practice talking with babies
- Read an article about early literacy and/or child development
- Visit the Read to Me website at http://libraries.idaho.gov/readtome
- Participate in the Jump Start kindergarten registration program
- Go to the Next Steps section and do one thing on that list
Next Steps:
Books & Literacy Development
- Read a book about early literacy and/or child development
- Check out a title ICFL’s Professional Development Services (PDS) collection
- Submit a book review for The Scoop
- Participate in the Read to Me First Book Program or another book give-away project
Training & Education
- Take advantage of an early literacy training opportunity (for instance attending a Read to Me training or meeting, regional ILA conference, etc.)
- Create a personal development plan to develop your early literacy skills
- Take the free ICFL online courses at http://libraries.idaho.gov/sable. There are courses on early childhood services, Services to School Aged Children and Young Adult Services.
- Participate in the Idaho Child Care Reads Program and sponsor a workshop at your library
- Read School Library Journal online through the free subscription to Library Literature and Information Science Full-text (H.W. Wilson) – Online database of full-text articles from over 155 journals, available from ICFL at http://libraries.idaho.gov/node/1160
- Go to the Giant Steps section and do one thing on that list
Reaching Out to Others
- Join a professional support organization (Idaho Library Association, Pacific Northwest Library Association, ALSC, etc.)
- Talk to a youth librarian at a neighboring library
- Talk to your director about early literacy
- Ask for time on your library board’s agenda to talk about early literacy
- Set up a meeting with an elementary school librarian to talk about ways you can collaborate
- Send an e-mail to your state legislators to let them know what your library is doing to support literacy efforts
- Call Peggy or Stephanie at the Idaho Commission for Libraries (1-800-458-3271) to talk about possible grant projects
Giant Steps:
Books & Literacy Development
- Keep abreast of early literacy research by reading new books and online
- Write an article for The Scoop
Training & Education
- Attend a PLA or ALA workshop on Every Child Ready To Read @ Your Library
- Attend national conferences about early literacy. The 2008 ALSC National Institute will be held September 18 - 20, 2008 in Salt Lake City (watch www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscevents/NationalInstitute2008.htm for details coming soon)
- Participate in local early literacy education and training opportunities
- Do an early childhood workshop at Head Start
Reaching Out to Others
- Gather youth librarians from neighboring libraries to discuss early literacy
- Convene a meeting of community partners concerned about early literacy to discuss how to work together
- Offer early literacy training to other professionals, such as ILA regional conferences, etc.
- Establish ongoing training and development opportunities for staff
- Find and create more partnerships with others (e.g. Latino agencies, health care providers, daycares and local preschool programs)
- Present to state legislators, city councils and other policy makers. Tell them that libraries are vital to the health of the community
Tips & Tools
Web Sites to Check Out
The Author Name Pronunciation Guide is an online collection of authors and illustrators saying their names. Many include additional information (like Avi's real name!). It's a great resource to learn correct pronunciations and it can be downloaded for use in the classroom. Check it out at www.teachingbooks.net/pronunciations.cgi.
Free parent-child activity materials are now available for downloading. Handouts for Infant-Toddler language and early literacy activities as well as for preschoolers are available at www.walearning.com. Click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page.
These materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. Each of the twenty activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. In addition to the activities, you can download an activity checklist that helps parents and caregivers notice their children's skills, and also cues adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children. The materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) sounds and rhythms, and 3) general book and print awareness. The files are in PDF format to allow easy and secure downloading. The materials are made available by Angela Notari-Syverson and colleagues, and may be copied and distributed as long as they are not sold.
Stinky Cheese Man to Promote Children's Books
Children's book author Jon Scieszka will become the country's first national ambassador for young people's literature and will "travel and speak to groups of children, parents and teachers 'to evangelize the need for reading,'" according to today's New York Times. He will also speak at Children's Book Week and the National Book Festival. The appointment is for two years and includes an annual $25,000 stipend. Scieszka told the Times, "There's a huge population of kids who would be or can be readers but just choose not to. Kids see it just as a school activity or something that just can't compete with a Nintendo Wii or just hanging out and text messaging your friends. Parents and booksellers and teachers are dying for some help."
Robin Adelson, executive director of the Children's Book Council, which was involved with the Library of Congress's Center for the Book in creating and filling the position, told the Times that the group wanted "someone with charisma, who is comfortable traveling and speaking and who could reach children, parents, educators and speak to a roomful of librarians and then go one-on-one with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show." Jewell Stoddard, head of the children's department of Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C., and a member of the committee that selected Scieszka, told the Washington Post that Scieszka, who runs a program aimed at boys called Guys Read, already is "on a mission to promote reading among young boys. . . . Girls love his books, too, and I'm sure he'll speak for everybody." (Shelf Awareness, 1/3/08)
New Books!
The Idaho Commission for Libraries Professional Development Service (PDS) provides access to numerous titles in the field of library and information sciences. Free shipping to and from your library is provided! See http://libraries.idaho.gov/pds for more information. The following are a few of the recent additions.
Collaborative Library Lessons for the Primary Grades: Linking Research Skills to Curriculum Standards, by Brenda S. Copeland, Libraries Unlimited, 2004. These tried and tested collaborative lesson plans by seasoned school library professionals will help you meet curriculum standards while facilitating cooperative planning between school librarians and classroom teachers. [027.8 COPELAN]
Teaching Information & Technology Skills: The Big 6 in Secondary Schools, by Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz, Linworth Publishing, 2000. The six basic principles for teaching technology from defining the task to evaluating the process are discussed in this easy to understand and implement book. [ICFL 025.04 EISENBE]
Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity Into a Powerful Business Advantage, by Pat Fallon and Fred Senn, Harvard Business School Press, 2006. The authors argue that no matter which new media emerge and which old media fade away, one factor remains crucial: the power of applied creativity to move the market in your direction. [ICFL 658.8 FALLON]
Designing a School Library Media Center for the Future, by Rolf Erikson and Carolyn Markuson, ALA, 2007. In this hands-on guidebook school library consultant s and library media specialists share their experiences of working on more than 100 media center building projects. This updated edition addresses current and future technological needs of the student population, sustainability and conservation issues, accessibility requirements, and cost control as well as how to deal with the unique needs of the community library. [ICFL 027.8 ERIKSON ]
News Beyond Idaho
Children's Book Week Moves from November to May
Beginning in 2008, the Children's Book Council (CBC) will hold Children's Book Week in May, instead of November, when the annual celebration usually The CBC hopes to creat a national focus on Children's Book Week which introduces young people to new authors and ideas in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores. The May 2008 week will feature a "gala event," presenting awards to authors of books in three age categories based on the Children's Choices List. Some 10,000 children vote nationally as part of that compilation, conducted with the International Reading Association. Children's Book Week is scheduled for May 12-18, 2008. See www.cbcbooks.org/cbw/ for more information.
Idaho Family Reading Week has also been held during the same week in November for the past 11 years. "A few people have asked us to change our dates so they can spread events out during the year and now we don't need to," Read to Me Co-Coordinator Stephanie Bailey-White said. "November is a good time to get policy-makers in libraries to see what libraries are doing so the change works nicely from our viewpoint."
Talk Back: We welcome your feedback on anything in The Scoop. Just e-mail Peggy or Stephanie and we'll print your comments in The Scoop.
