Free Toolkit Available to Help with National Library Workers Day Celebrations
Recognize all library workers who make library service possible every day on National Library Workers Day (NLWD) — Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Libraries and organizations are encouraged to host celebrations and submit names of stars to honor great workers, teams and/or departments. To help libraries and communities prepare to celebrate NLWD, the ALA – Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) has developed a free publicity tool kit.
Stand Up for Health: Health and Wellness Services for Your Community for Public Libraries
Do your patrons have questions about health and wellness? Are you unsure where to find reliable and authoritative information to assist them? This class from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine is specifically for public library staff to help increase knowledge and confidence in health information services. Over four weeks they will explore consumer health, health reference in a public library environment, free health resources for library staff and patrons, and developing health and wellness related programming. Class runs from May 20 – June 16.
Ten Accessibility Tips for Youth and Families in the Library
From the ALSC Blog: “There is no “one size fits all” accessibility solution for youth with disabilities and their families. That said, there are some tips and strategies I invariably subscribe to when working in youth services and advocating for accessibility. Here are my 10 tips. What are yours?”
CUNY Open Education Resource Program Saves Students $9.5 Million
In 2017, the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) systems received funding to adopt Open Education Resources (OER) for many courses offered. This funding was awarded in response to librarian requests at both institutions and was adopted in 2,800 Zero Textbook Cost courses impacting 76,000 students and resulting in $9.5 million saved on textbook costs. CUNY recently published the results of a survey their students to see what they thought about using the OER materials for their coursework.
Take Flight with These Summer Reading Program Ideas
If your public library is still gathering ideas for summer reading activities, take a look at NNLM’s summer health programming page created in cooperation with the program. The page provides links to ready-made programs as well as a schedule of upcoming webinars that can aid your summer reading program planning. You will find even more ideas — such as kids’ programs that let them make stardust or edible DNA — in the 2019 Summer Health Programming Manual.
National Volunteer Week is April 7-13
National Volunteer Week is a good time to honor your library volunteers. The celebration is an opportunity to celebrate the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world. Each year, we shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve, recognizing and thanking volunteers who lend their time, talent and voice to make a difference in their communities.
National Summer Learning Day becomes National Summer Learning Week
Save the date for National Summer Learning Week, July 8-13, 2019. This is a celebration dedicated to advocacy and awareness around the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school in the fall ready to succeed in the year.
70% of Teens List Anxiety and Depression as a Problem
The Pew Research Center just released the results of a survey in which teens listed anxiety and depression among major problems for their peers. Concern about mental health cuts across gender, racial and socio-economic lines, with roughly equal shares of teens across demographic groups saying it is a significant issue in their community.
Building a Home Library: Updated Book Lists from ALA
The ALA-Children’s Book Council (CBC) Joint Committee, with cooperation from ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting committee, has updated its four Building a Home Library bibliographies to provide guidance to parents, grandparents, and others interested in assembling a high-quality library for their children at home. When creating these lists, the committee looked to include tried-and-true classics; under-the-radar gems; multicultural books; and new, yet notable, reads for all ages.
PLA Now Accepting Proposals for 2020 Conference
The Public Library Association (PLA) officially opened the Call for Proposals for educational sessions to be presented at its next biennial conference, to be held Feb. 25-29, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn. The PLA 2020 Conference will highlight innovative work and ideas that address the core challenges facing public libraries and their communities today. It will feature more than 100 top-quality continuing education programs, several social events, networking opportunities and a bustling exhibition hall. Proposals will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 26, 2019.