nhouston

Personal information

About me

Youth Outreach Coordinator at Orange County Library System

Contact me

houston.natalie@ocls.info

Website
http://www.ocls.info

History

Member for
4 years 4 weeks
  • YALSA names Teen Read Week™ Mini Grants winners - Posted Thursday, September 16, 2010

    YALSA names Teen Read Week™ Mini Grants winners

    Books with Beat Teen Read Week
    For Immediate Release
    Thu, 08/12/2010 - 17:43
    Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
    CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced the winners of its 10 Teen Read Week Mini Grants. The grants give each winning library $450 cash and $50 worth of official Teen Read Week products from ALA Graphics to offer inventive activities, resources and services to celebrate Teen Read Week, Oct. 17-23.
    The 2010 Teen Read Week mini grants are funded by Team Teen Read Week. Thanks to Carolrhoda Lab, Random House, Scholastic, Sleeping Bear Press and Tor-Forge Books for their support of the Teen Read Week Mini Grants.
    The ten winners are:
        * Michelle Barnett, Providence K-8 School, Huntsville, Ala.
        * Shannon Crawford Barniskis, Horicon (Wisc.) Public Library
        * Susan Bohn, Hononegah High School, Rockton, Ill.
        * Natalie Houston, Orange County Library System, Orlando, Fla.
        * Audrey Kantner, Lancaster (Pa.) Public Library
        * Maryrose Little, David Brearley Middle/High School, Kenilworth, N.J.
        * Ann-Marie Marchant, Provo (Utah) City Library
  • Prime Time Family Reading Time - Posted Monday, July 12, 2010

    Over the past year, the Orange County Library System has hosted three Prime Time Family Literacy programs at our locations. An article that I wrote describing my personal experience as a first time program coordinator was recently published in the Prime Time News and Reviews May/June 2010.  You can read about my experience including the challenges and rewards here.

    I wanted to share this information with you all because Prime Time is such a wonderful and well-supported program, I hope that all libraries will have the chance to host a program in the future.

  • Best Buy @15 Community Grants Program - Posted Friday, June 25, 2010

    Best Buy @15 Community Grants Program
    Deadline: July 1, 2010

    Through the @15 Community Grants Program, Best Buy teams across the United States select nonprofit organizations that provide positive experiences designed to help teens excel in school, engage in their communities, and develop leadership skills. This year, Best Buy Children's Foundation will give a total of $2 million through the program.

    Best Buy seeks applications from organizations that have current 501(c)(3) tax status and are serving a diverse population of young teens in the areas of learning, life skills, leadership, or relationship development. Special consideration will be given to programs that serve a diverse population in local or regional communities; build social, academic, leadership, and/or life skills in early adolescents ( ages 13-18); show positive results against a demonstrated community need; and reach at-risk children in working families. Visit http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/community_grants_rfp.htm for more information.

  • Do You Know of a Fabulous Film for Young Adults? Nominate Now! - Posted Friday, March 26, 2010

     

    YALSA's Fabulous Films for Young Adult Committee is currently seeking out and viewing nominations for what will become YALSA's 2011 Fabulous Films For Young Adults list of recommended viewing, which will be finalized and announced in January 2011.  YALSA posts official nominations online on a monthly basis.  This month's nominated titles for YALSA's Fabulous Films For Young Adults list are now available from this web page:

    http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/fabfilms/fabfilmnoms.cfm

    We would love your feedback and participation with the 2011 list, including your nominations from the field.  If you'd like to nominate a title you feel would be a good fit for this list, please review the selection criteria on the web site at: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/fabfilms/fabfilmspolicies.cfm.  

    Here is a link to the online form to send us your nomination: http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/fabfilm.php.

    Thanks for all that you do to get more teens watching movies! 

     

     

     

  • Early Childhood Reading Grant - Posted Monday, March 15, 2010

    Target Stores Grant Program to Support Arts and Literacy Programs for Children and Youth

    Grants of $2,000 will be awarded to K-12 schools and nonprofits working to support programs that encourage reading and the arts including in-school performances, artist-in-residency programs, workshops, and family reading nights....

    Deadline: April 30, 2010

    I encourage all libraries to apply for this grant. Orange County Library System has received it for several years to support preschool programs including our "Alphabet Bites" (www.ocls.info/abc) and "Get Ready for K" (www.ocls.info/kindergarten).   We created these online components to supplement our program series and give patrons access to the resources even when a program is not being offered. Overall, funding from the Target grant has enabled us to offer our patrons programs that we otherwise would not have been able to conduct.

     

     

  • Wizard Rock at the Orlando Public Library - Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009

    The Orange County Library System hosted Wizard Rock on Friday, June 26th 2009. The Library rocked with The Remus Lupins and Whomping Willows performing as Pottercast broadcast the event live on the internet. Over 100 viewers watched online while more than 200 attendees jammed in person.