YouthShare: News You Can Use
by Katelyn Patterson
Ellison Machine Swap
Knowvember

Election season is upon us! A time where reliable information seems scarce and everyone seems to be fact-checking. I can’t think of anyone better equipped to ensure an informed electorate than our librarians! Here is a round up of ideas for helping your community get the information they need to be informed voters.
- Create a display with everything from DVDs of the West Wing to biographies on political figures to nonfiction on major issues.
- Don’t forget the children! Host an election between two beloved book characters or books. Make campaign posters or buttons. Have them vote on a real library issue (a new piece of furniture for the kids area) using pompoms in glass jars so they can see the process happening.
- Scholastic News® Launches 2016 Presidential Election Website with Resources for Kids, Parents and Teachers
- National Voter Registration Day was October 4th, but in Texas the voter registration date isn’t until October 11th. Have a computer set up so patrons can find out if they are registered and how to get registered until the last minute.
- Set up a “voting booth”- a table where people can access information about the candidates and issues on the ballot in your area. Curate a list of candidate websites and reliable, non-partisan sources of information.
- Host a Debate Watching Party- We have a couple more coming up between now and election day. Here is the schedule of debates. The League of Women Voters has a Debate Watching Kit you can use.
- Host a candidate forum for local elections.
- Talk to local media and stakeholders about all of the resources your library offers during an election cycle.
YouthLinks:
- If you are already thinking about next summer, the Urban Libraries Council has developed a new toolkit in partnership with the National Summer Learning Association to help libraries explore ways to expand summer reading and learning. There are lots of examples of programs and other ideas so check this out!
- Promoting literacy at Oakland playground
- Library Magazine Faces Intense Criticism Over Controversial Review Of Book With Bisexual Female Character
- Escape rooms, a breakout trend in youth programming
- At National Book Festival, all is not lost for young readers
- The Pros of Cons: Bringing Fandom to Libraries
- Protecting Patron Privacy
- Niles PL Invites Kids to Be Library President for a Day
- Iowa City PL Institutes Autism Accessible Browsing Hour
Upcoming Youth Services Professional Development Opportunities:
- TSLAC is doing a series of STEAM in Preschool Storytime workshops presented by CTLS favorite, Kim Lehman!
- Free webinar on Libraries and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) from TSLAC
- Free webinar on Teen Programming: A Mover & Shaker’s Recipe for Impact and Success from WebJunction