School and Youth Librarians Newsletter
News in Brief
Database Highlight: Learning Express Offers Assistance to Students of All Ages and Adult Learners
Learning Express provides a comprehensive selection of educational resources—including interactive tutorials, practice exams, flashcards, articles and e-books—for basic skills mastery, academic success, job preparation, and career advancement. The Alaska Library Network has bought a statewide online subscription to Learning Express. Learning center resources include School Center, Student Success Skills, High School Equivalency Center, College Admissions Test Preparation, College Students, Adult Core Skills, Compute Skills Center, Career Preparation, and Jobs and Career Accelerator.
Resources, Posters, Lessons, and More for Women’s History Month (SLJ)
Advocacy Toolkit: Library Reports (KQ)
Transform the High School Library: Innovative ways to get more students-and staff-engaged with your space (American Libraries)
ConnectLib Professional Development Toolkit Helping librarians use digital media to make learning connections with youth. ConnectLib is a research-based professional development toolkit that offers youth-serving library staff a free, customizable, and self-paced program to create engaging teen programs and services with digital media.
Skype a Scientist. “Educators and STEM professionals alike may be interested in Skype a Scientist, a program that “matches scientists with classrooms around the world … for 30-60 minute Q and A sessions that can cover the scientist’s expertise or what it’s like to be a scientist.” This innovative program offers students an opportunity to video chat with an actual scientist, and it gives scientists an excellent avenue to inspire interest in their work.”
Building Relationships Improves Outcomes Students’ academic engagement and behavior improves when teachers form meaningful relationships with them, according to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota. The study focused on the Establish-Maintain-Restore approach, and researchers shared ways teachers can develop stronger relationships with students, including spending time with them in one-on-one meetings. (AASL Smartbrief /Edutopia)
March/April Issue of Knowledge Quest features Exploring School Library Services Beyond the Walls of the School Library.
Support and motivate aspiring young innovators While this one stop site has been around for a while it’s worth checking back and reviewing the free resources for “inspiring young innovators.”
Training and Continuing Ed Opportunities (all times are adjusted to Alaska)
Middle Grade Magic Virtual Summit (School Library Journal) Wednesday, Mar 27 (8-2 pm) Join this day-long celebration and exploration of one of the burgeoning and most important – areas of publishing for young readers: literature for children ages eight through 12 – and beyond! Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the most anticipated new titles for kids and tweens, from laugh-out-loud tales to eye-popping graphic novels to enveloping fantasy. Attendees will also have the opportunity to check out the virtual exhibit hall, chat directly with authors, download educational resources, and receive prizes and giveaways. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.slj.com/?subpage=Events
Archived and ready to view
Easy as 1, 2, 3: Practical Tactics to Advocate for Your Library Today (School Library Connection) https://bit.ly/2EfvGeS : Jump into this webinar to uncover strategies to advocate for your library from the hallway to the town hall, including how to build coalitions to influence policy, craft more powerful narratives about your library, and help administrators see the magic of your library.
Integration Nation: Combining Technology and Library Media (Wyoming State Library) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya2L_AnU_2U&feature=youtu.be : Join Megan Dingman and Maggie Unterseher, Library Media Specialists in Campbell County, Wyoming, to explore technology and library media integration opportunities. Hosted by Paige Bredenkamp of the Wyoming State Library.
Wednesday, Mar 6 (12-1 pm) New Nonfiction for Spring (School Library Journal)
Who doesn’t love new and engaging nonfiction? From a delightful tale of a budding ballerina to STEM projects for Minecraft lovers — and everything in between — these fun and informational series and titles are sure to inspire your curious students and young patrons. Join publishing insiders for an array of nonficiton to deck out your shelves this spring!
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.slj.com/?subpage=Events
Wednesday, Mar 6 (3-4 pm) Using Makerspaces to Build Teacher/Librarian Collaboration (AASL)
This session will demonstrate to participants how use of 3D printing can help teachers augment their lessons, develop higher order thinking and research, and give students exposure to 21st century technology. School librarian Harry Ostlund and social studies specialist Ryan Fontanella will share how their campus/district worked to create “archival boxes” – boxes of premade lessons incorporating various elements of the library’s digital and print resources available for checkout by teachers for use in the classroom.
For more information and to register, visit: http://www.ala.org/aasl/ecollab/upcoming
Thursday, Mar 7 (11-am-Noon) Early Childhood Expertise Beyond Libraryland: Early Childhood Development (Assoc. For Library Services to Children)
The way children learn and develop affects everything we do in the library. From collection development to program planning, it is vital that we understand how our children learn and grow in order to provide the best possible programs and services for them. Attendees will learn about the different stages and phases of early childhood development from an expert and then explore ways to put that knowledge into practice.
For more information and to register, visit: http://www.ala.org/alsc/elearning/live-webinars
Friday, Mar 8 (10-11am) Spring Picture Books (Booklist)
Is there anything more enticing than picture books to foster a child’s love of reading? In this free one hour webinar, you’ll discover new titles from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Lee & Low, and North South that get children excited about reading. You’ll learn about trends we are seeing in we are seeing picture books today. Moderated by Books for Youth Editor Sarah Hunter.
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
Tuesday, Mar 12 (9-10 am) Springing Forward: Youth Titles to Watch (Booklist)
Your clock won’t be the only thing springing ahead this March; accompanying the shift in seasons is a bevy of beautiful new books for youth. In this free, one-hour webinar moderated by Books for Youth associate editor Julia Smith, representatives from Albert Whitman & Company, Fabled Films Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Penguin Random House Canada will introduce an array of exciting forthcoming releases for all ages, from early readers through young adults. Don’t miss this glimpse at the latest and greatest in kid lit!
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
Wednesday, March 13 (11am -Noon) Strategies to Improve Adolescent Reading Proficiency: How to Identify and Address Why Students Struggle (edWeb)
Dr. Suzanne Carreker, CALT-QI, discusses why 66% of eighth-grade students in the United States cannot read proficiently and what educators can do right now to combat this crisis. Dr. Carreker uses the Simple View of Reading to explain why identifying and addressing the diverse needs of non-proficiency can be incredibly complex—but not impossible with the right tools. This presentation will be of interest to middle and high school teachers, school and district leaders, technology coordinators, Title I coordinators, literacy specialists, and interventionists.
For more information and to register, visit:
https://home.edweb.net/webinar/ela20190313/
Thursday, Mar 14 (10-11 am) Supporting Developing Readers at the Library: Reader’s Advisory for K-3rd Graders(Colorado State Library)
Learn how the Children’s Librarians at Denver Public Library are expanding their services to developing readers and the grown-ups in their lives using the five Grade Level Reading Skills. The importance of balancing reading level with interest will be discussed. You’ll walk away with more insight into the elements of an excellent developing reader book, as well as tips on how to navigate advisory interactions with kids and grown-ups.
For more information and to register, visit: https://cslinsession.cvlsites.org/category/upcoming/
Tuesday March 19, 2019 (3-4pm) Standards at Your Fingertips: AASL Mobile App for Supervisor’s to Learn, Advise, and Evaluate (AASL)
Supervisors of school librarians will learn about the features of the new AASL Standards Mobile App and its use as a valuable tool in learning the new AASL Standards.
Wednesday, Mar 20 (7-8 am) Reading Diversely (Nebraska Library Commission)
Nebraska Library Association Diversity Committee members will booktalk diverse titles and share resources for finding more reading to diversify your shelves. Attendees will be encouraged to share titles of diverse literature they have read to create a list for everyone to use.
For more information and to register, visit: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL
Wednesday, March 20 (1-2 pm) Digital Collection Development (edWeb)
Purchasing digital educational content is tricky business. The big trade publishers can change licensing agreements in ways that impact schools because K-12 is not their priority market. Textbook publishing, which seemed simple and profitable in the print format is far more complex for eTexts. The term “eBook” calls to mind an alphabet soup of delivery formats (EPUB, MOBI, AZW, IBA, PDF, and more). Purchasing as we have traditionally known it is replaced by a wide array of “leasing” models where a dropped contract can result in collection depletion. Managing a digital collection requires attention to detail. The screen reading vs. print reading debate rages on.
For more information and to register, visit: https://home.edweb.net/webinar/emergingtech20190320/
Thursday, March 21 (Noon-1:00pm) Explore a Free World of Personalized Professional Learning (edWeb)
A panel of innovative educators in different leadership roles in the school community will present ideas and “PD plans” for using the free professional learning platform, edWeb.net, Google and other free tools to provide a “PD Buffet” of learning that inspires and motivates teachers and impacts learning.
The objective of the presentation is to share a variety of ideas for how educators in different roles in a school community can foster a collaborative, personalized professional learning culture that energizes teachers and makes a significant impact on teaching and learning, using free, anytime, anywhere resources that provide convenience and also global collaboration. edWeb.net will be featured as the hub for this activity, but other free tools will also be included.
For more information and to register, visit:
https://home.edweb.net/webinar/pd20190321/
Thursday, March 22 (1-2 pm) Assessment for Learning: Classroom Strategies to Improve Learning for ALL Students(edWeb)
This webinar will review the essential elements of assessment that improve learning and illustrate classroom strategies that improve learning for all students. Through a combination of presentation and video clips, and will examine questions such as: What does effective assessment for learning look like? How can I engage students and encourage them to take greater responsibility for their own learning? How do I train students to become reliable and effective assessors of their own work and the work of their peers? What does effective feedback look and sound like?
For more information and to register, visit:
https://home.edweb.net/webinar/techtools20190321/
Tuesday, Mar 26 (11am-Noon) What We Say and How We Say It Matter: Teacher Talk that Improves Student Learning and Behavior (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ACSD)
As educators, we all end up talking with students in ways that don’t actually align with our best intentions and positive goals for them. In this webinar with Mike Anderson, author of What We Say and How We Say It Matter: Teacher Talk That Improves Student Learning and Behavior, you’ll learn about several common language habits and patterns that many educators find themselves in and have a chance to explore better alternatives. You’ll also learn about a process for changing language habits so that your language better aligns with your best intentions and positive goals for students.
For more information and to register, visit: http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars.aspx
Wednesday, Mar 27 (10-11 am) Literacy as a Tool for Student Engagement (Education Week)
Join this webinar with the Executive Director of Research at Think CERCA Chris Balow, who will explain how district leaders can use a literacy initiative to cultivate student engagement. By emphasizing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills across the curriculum, educators can provide students abundant opportunities to collaborate with peers, develop deeper connections to learning, and see the real-world applications of their classroom instruction.
For more information and to register, visit: https://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/webinars/webinars.html