August Youth Services News

I wrote the following for the CTLS Newsletter. The entire newsletter can be accessed here.

 

YouthShare: News You Can Use

by Katelyn Patterson

Libraries Helping a Healing Nation

Tragedy struck again right here in Dallas since last month when I talked about the occurrence in an Orlando night club. The Dallas Public Library was committed to supporting their community in the days that followed and even helped to preserve the tributes left as a memorial to the fallen officers during a rain storm.

Libraries and supporting organizations all over are playing their part to help communities trying to understand our current national climate. Recently Storytime Underground, a collective of Youth Services Librarians, made public comments about the importance that the library reflect these events and movements to help our communities cope and understand. The Oakland Public Library has a wonderful page of resources called Listen, Learn, Participate: A #BlackLivesMatter Resources Series. Earlier this year, WebJunction provided a 2 part post on Racial Equity in the Library: Part 1: Where to Start and Part 2: Diverse Collections, Programming, and Resources.

And of course, book displays and booklists are being created for the same reasons. I particularly want to point to the We Need Diverse Books Summer Reading Series. In addition to the wonderful graphic design, each post simply and briefly states the title’s similar themes (friendship, relationship with grandparents, searching for family, etc.).

Similarly, as we get closer to November, patrons may want to know where to get the best information on the candidates and the election. Library Journal recently reviewed several Free Resources for an Informed Electorate that you may find useful.

August is Read a Romance Month

Did you know that August is Read a Romance month? At the recent Romance Writers of America conference in San Diego, a presentation was made showing just what a huge impact the Romance genre has on the publishing industry. Do you see romance flying off the shelves at your library? Here is an excuse to introduce the genre to others who haven’t dipped their toe into it.

Library Extension

My new favorite Chrome Extension is called Library Extension. By installing this to the Chrome browser, anytime you browse for books online at websites like GoodReads, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, Library Extension will let you know if the book or ebook is available at your local library. Borrow and Place a Hold buttons will even take patrons directly to that title in your catalog. They support many libraries (I looked up a few CTLS members) and if you don’t see your library, contact them to let them know! Right now it only works with Chrome but will soon be available for Firefox, too. This is a great way to drive traffic to your site and catalog and could be a great extension of service.

School Library Journal TeenLive Conference

On August 10th, School Library Journal is offering their 5th annual TeenLive Conference, formerly called SummerTeen, which is a free, completely virtual conference discussing teen materials and programming. Keynote speakers are Meg Medina, author of Burn Baby Burn, and Maggie Stiefvater, author of The Raven Cycle. Register to “attend” the event here or follow #SLJTeenLive on Twitter.

YouthLinks

• YALSA announces its 2016 Top Ten Summer Learning Programs
• Teen Read Week isn’t until October (9th-15th), but you can have your teens involved in choosing the Teens’ Top Ten starting August 15th.
• September is Library Card Sign Up Month
• Banned Book Week is September 25- October 1
• September 28th is Banned Websites Day
• Reading is Fundamental recently released a PSA entitled READ: Your Voice. Their Imagination. It is beautiful! Watch it and share with your patrons!
• Check out Demco’s Children’s Activity Calendar for August!
• Learn more about the debate going on around Lane Smith’s new book, There Is A Tribe of Kids.
• MPL goes door to door to promote early literacy
• Pokémon Go: What You Need To Know
• Coding at the Library? Join the 2016 Congressional App Challenge
• Makerspace in the Harris County Public Library 3D prints hand for youth patron on waiting list for professional prosthetic
• Register here for the 2016 Association for Library Service to Children Virtual Institute, a 2 day entirely online event that will take place on September 15-16th. You don’t have to be an ALSC member to register, but there is a charge to participate in this event.
• Random House Launches a Presidential Campaign For The Cat in The Hat