If you’re interested in book and media evaluation but have limited experiences than this seminar is for YOU!  ALSC is seeking applications for its third biennial Morris Seminar: Book Evaluation Training, to be held on Friday, January 20, 2012, prior to the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, Texas.  This invitational seminar supports and honors William C. Morris’ dedication to connecting librarians and children with excellent children’s books.

During this day-long event, members with limited experience are trained and mentored in evaluation techniques by former ALSC award committee members.   The seminar will result in new and emerging leaders for future ALSC evaluation committees.

The Morris Endowment supports those selected to attend the training seminar by offering the seminar at no charge to the attendee.  This includes all materials, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon break on Friday.  To help defray additional costs for hotel and other expenses, a $200 stipend for each attendee will be provided by the endowment.

Information and the application are available on the ALSC Web site at: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/confevents/morris_events/seminari...

The application deadline has been extended to September 30, 2011.  Attendees selected to attend the seminar will be notified during the first week of November.

Please contact Jenny Najduch, ALSC Program Officer, with questions at jnajduch@ala.org.

Picture It @ Your Library – October 16-22, 2011

TRW_partnerlogo_webRegistration is now open for Teen Read Week 2011! Visit the TRW site http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/trw/trw2011/home.cfm to register, find ideas and products, use publicity tools and more. This year’s theme, “Picture It @ Your Library,” encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials, seek out creative books, or imagine the world through literature, just for the fun of it.

Teen Read Week is an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/yalsa.cfm (YALSA).

Libraries across the world celebrate Teen Read Week with a variety of special events and programs aimed at encouraging teens to read for pleasure and to visit their libraries for free reading materials.

Why is it important to celebrate? For a lot of reasons! Teens have so many options for entertainment, so it’s important to remind them to spend time reading for pleasure: it’s free, fun, and can be done anywhere. Research shows that teens who read for fun have better test scores and are more likely to succeed in the workforce. Also, it’s a great chance to let your school or your public library communities know how important teen services are. Let teens know the possibilities that exist within your doors, and within the covers of books.

Now is the perfect time to begin planning your Teen Read Week celebration. Get started by:

· Meeting Jay Asher http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/trw/trw2011/trw_ashe... , author of Thirteen Reasons Why and 2011 Teen Read Week Spokesperson.

Letters About Literature

offers your library the chance to receive

a $10,000 Reading Promotion Grant!

Books for Boys

Free Webinar

Thursday, September 15, 2011, from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT

Register here

Non-readers, despite their gender, get left behind in life. Low literacy contributes to drop out rates, crime rates, and increased chances for incarceration. This is especially true for boys, who are already less likely to graduate from high school, based on trend reports from the National Council on Education Statistics. What can librarians and educators do to help turn these boys who avoid books into readers?

The presenters will be joined by celebrity moderator Jon Scieszka, founder of Guys Read, a nonprofit web-based literacy program with the mission to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers. In 2008, Scieszka was appointed the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, a position created by the Library of Congress to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. You also know Scieszka as the author of several bestselling children’s titles, including The Stinky Cheese Man, which won a Caldecott Honor medal, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Robot Zot!, and the Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series.

Panelists:

• Sharon K. Hancock, Executive Director, School & Library Marketing, Candlewick Press
• Cheryl Herman, Director of Marketing, Random House BOT
• Michelle Fadlalla, Marketing Manager, Simon & Schuster

Moderator:

Back to School Special: Savvy Starts to a New Year!

Free Webinar

Monday, September 12, 2011, at 8:00 p.m. EDT

A casual discussion to generate ideas on how to build school allies, support new teachers and become indispensable to admin and staff at the beginning of every school year. Featuring how Google tools (forms, docs, and presentation, and more!) can supercharge the library program and classroom throughout the school year. For Teacher Librarians, classroom teachers, tech teachers, admins, and well...everyone!