Hear Ye! Hear Ye! | November 2024
Upcoming ALSC Webinars
91´«Ã½
Close out 2024 with a professional development gift to yourself. ALSC is hosting two webinars in December.
Monday, December 9, 2024 | 11:00am-12:00pm CT
This webinar is offered by the ALSC Managing Children's Services committee exclusively for ALSC members as a benefit of their membership.
This engaging panel discussion on fostering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion among library staff is designed for children's services managers and will offer actionable insights and real-world examples of successful EDI initiatives in libraries. Panelists will share strategies on how to:
- Collaborate with library employees to reflect their voices and needs in policies and services.
- Train staff in culturally responsive practices to better serve diverse communities.
- Launch low-cost, resource-efficient EDI efforts within your team.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 1:00-2:00pm CT
How can we reach expectant and new parents from underserved populations with the message that literacy begins before birth and let them know the important role they play in their babies' development? "Mother Goose on the Loose: Hatchlings" has completed three successful pilot years with English and Spanish speakers in Maryland, highlighting community partnerships to reach families.
In this interactive session, a program participant will describe the value of Hatchlings for her family. Presenters also will discuss strategies used to reach families unfamiliar with library services as well as the high impact of the Hatchlings program on parental early literacy behaviors. Participants will hear about the overwhelmingly positive evaluations of this early literacy program, a Maryland State Department of Education/Maryland State Library Agency/Mother Goose on the Loose project.
Celebrate DÃa in Your Library!
91´«Ã½
Ready to bridge cultures through books? Join the Día celebration and connect your community's children and families with diverse stories and languages. Together, let's promote literacy for all.
National Día Program Registry 2025. Inspire fellow librarians and elevate your programs! The Día Program Registry allows you to showcase your diversity programming and discover new ideas from across the country. By adding your events to the database, you contribute to growing the 2025 Día program map and data table. Learn more and complete the program submission form at the Program Registry webpage.
Free resources for download! Use our eye-catching graphics to promote your Día events in social media. The 2025 Día reading lists - in English and Spanish - will be available in February. They are a great resource for introducing children and families to stories that celebrate diverse cultures.
Professional Award Opportunities
91´«Ã½
Applications are still open for two ALSC professional awards.
Help shine the light on an ALSC member who has made a significant contribution to the field of children’s librarianship or ALSC. 91´«Ã½ members, nominate that coworker, friend, or mentor you respect for the . Nominations are due December 15, 2024.
Looking to establish or expand your outreach to underserved populations? The ALSC/Candlewick Press "Light the Way" Grant, sponsored by Candlewick Press in honor of author Kate DiCamillo and the themes represented in her books, awards $3,000 to assist a library in conducting exemplary, innovative, and replicable programming to underserved youth. Applications are due December 16, 2024.
Learn more about these and other ALSC awards by visiting the Professional Awards & Grants webpages.
Multnomah to Host Lukoff Lecture
91´«Ã½
The 2025 Children's Literature Lecture Award committee chose Multnomah County Library System, Portland, Oregon, as the host site for the 2025 Children’s Literature Lecture featuring Kyle Lukoff. The author's middle-grade novel, Too Bright to See, was a 2022 Newbery Honor Book, a Stonewall Award winner, and a National Book Award finalist. His other titles include When Aidan Became a Brother, Different Kinds of Fruit, and If You're a Kid Like Gavin, which was co-authored by trans activist Gavin Grimm. The date and time of the lecture, which will take place next spring, will be announced as soon as available.
Conference Travel Grant Available
91´«Ã½
The 91´«Ã½ is now accepting applications for the 2025 Jason Reynolds / Simon & Schuster Travel Grant.
The grant will cover the expenses of five Black/African American youth or teen services librarians or school librarians/media specialists who work in either public or school libraries.
Recipients will receive up to $3,000 to pay for expenses related to attending the 2025 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in Philadelphia, including but not limited to travel, housing, registration, and a ticket to the Coretta Scott King Award Breakfast.
Applications will be accepted until December 1, 2024. An announcement of the selected recipients will be made in February 2025. Learn more on the grant webpage.
