A Dozen Years and Two Retirements

Well, unbelievably enough, TTFLF has reached the ripe old age of 12 (always celebrated around the autumn equinox) and I have reached a milestone-ish 66.

So the blog and I looked at each other and said, "Let's retire at the same time!!"

I couldn't have imagined when I started my journey as a brash and foolish new MLISer in 1976 that I could have such a fulfilling career throughout my life as a youth librarian.  I had amazing adventures in service with kids and families, was mentored by and worked with amazing colleagues, made mistakes and learned a ton every single day - right up until the day of my first retirement from full-time work in 2015 and then beyond in my four years of consulting.

For the last 30 years of my career, in my free time, I was able to freelance as a storyteller and a very part-time presenter and consultant traveling the state and country presenting on youth services topics. For the last ten years, I was so fortunate to be an educator and adjunct lecturer  in the graduate school and continuing education department of UW-Madison iSchool, my alma mater.  I am grateful to Michele Besant, newly-retired Assistant Director of the iSchool and Meredith Lowe of the CE Dept. for all their support and encouragement in making this dream of teaching a reality.

I am also grateful to the many, many friends, colleagues, leaders and peers who mentored me and shared their love of youth librarianship through lots of talk, support, disagreement, concerns, ideas and discussions over the decades. You all were - and are - my PLN;  a well I dipped into, a lake I bathed in and a river I rushed along with throughout my career and I treasure each and every one of you.

This blog has been one of the ways I have met you all over the past dozen years. It has been a delight to send out thoughts and discover that there is an audience of readers -you! Connecting with other bloggers has been amazing as well. I have had the chance to meet some of you IRL and that has been great fun.

As the years have gone on since "Retirement 1", I have sadly neglected TTFLF as I stretched out into other volunteer and relaxing retiree activities far afield from librarianship. It is clear that the time has come to put this little Web 2.0 baby to bed.  Seems like "Retirement 2" for me is the perfect time.

You will still find me on occasion at the Wisconsin Library Association's Youth Services Shout-Out blog where I post once a week (mostly). And I will probably be keeping half an eye out on all the adventures and trends happening in the youth librarianship world. After all, once a youth librarian, always a youth librarian!

Thanks for going along for the ride over the years! It has been great!

Were Youth Books Truly Diverse in 2018?

I am pleased to see the new 2018 Diversity in Children's Book 2018 infographic from the team of Sarah Park Dahlen and David Huyck based on the astounding work of the staff at the CCBC at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a star-studded consulting group of #diversityjedi.

Huyck, David and Sarah Park Dahlen. (2019 June 19). Diversity in Children’s Books 2018. sarahpark.com blog. Created in consultation with Edith Campbell, Molly Beth Griffin, K. T. Horning, Debbie Reese, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, and Madeline Tyner, with statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp. Retrieved from https://readingspark.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/picture-this-diversity-in-childrens-books-2018-infographic/. 

Released for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0 license). You are free to use this infographic in any of your work, including presentations and published work, so long as you provide the full citation noted above.

Below is the first version of this graphic done by this team looking at 2015 books:

Huyck, David, Sarah Park Dahlen, Molly Beth Griffin. (2016 September 14). Diversity in Children’s Books 2015 infographic. sarahpark.com blog. Retrieved from https://readingspark.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/picture-this-reflecting-diversity-in-childrens-book-publishing/ Statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin Madison: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp

Released for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

What do I note in those three years? Ahem, we ALL have some work to do.

While the percentage of books depicting white characters decreased, characters who were animals, animated inanimate objects and other more than doubled. So it makes me wonder if we are seeing hesitation from non-#ownvoices authors on how to navigate the call for more truly diverse books.

While doubling of books published with LatinX and Asian Pacific Islander/Asian Pacific American characters is great to see, I can't help feeling that doubling of almost nothing (2.4% to 5% and 3.3% to 7%) is way too small a gain.

What can we do to keep the focus on the need for more diverse books?

• Buy - we are seeing more sources for reviews. And we know that we can look to awards to find authentic content and #ownvoices. Look at Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, Stonewall, Schneider Family, Asian/Pacific Award for Literature, Sydney Taylor, American Indian Youth Literature, South Asian, Arab-American, Americas, Dolly Gray and Middle East Book awards (among others!). Connecting to and buying from small presses is also critical. And we need to think about connecting to our immigrant communities to find material there and online that reflects the rich diversity of our communities (including our global community!). 

• Highlight  - booktalk them, put them in displays and face-out on shelving, use them in programming and in outreach collections, include them in booklists - and think twice before you weed them. Will you see another delightful book about a family's celebration of tasty roti like F. Zia and Ken Min's Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji (Lee and Low, 2011)?

• Inform Yourself - follow hashtage like #diversityjedi; #weneeddiversebooks and #everydaydiversity. Follow blogs like American Indians in Children's Literature, CrazyQuiltEdi, Sarah Dahlen, Book Toss, LatinX in Kids Lit, Reading While White, Rich in Color, Disability in Kids Lit, We Are Kid Lit Collective (GREAT reading lists btw) and the blogs THEY link to to identify ongoing and breaking issues and reflect on the literature (and misuse of literature).

• Advocate - let your salespeople, jobbers and the publishers know that you appreciate the diverse #ownvoices books they are and have published.  Ask for more and say why it matters. Advocate with your colleagues, stand up and be an ally for diversity and #ownvoices. The more the publishers hear, the better. 

Never think your voice is not enough. Together we CAN make a difference and make sure that all children have the chance to see and experience mirrors and sliding glass doors and find themselves in our youth literature.

We Are KidLit 2019 Summer Reading List Out

While reading though my feeds, I was thrilled to catch the announcement of the new We Are KidLit Summer Reading List for 2019 at CraziQuiltEdi's blog.

The list, full of great kids books (both newer and older titles) that emphasize #ownvoices from BIPOC, LQBTQIA+ and disability communities, is put together by a dedicated group of kid lit lovers: the We Are Kidlit Collective.

One of my favorite parts of Edi's post announcing the new list is how she shines a light on how the booklist is put together and who does (and did) the work. Once you get to the We Are KidsLit website, you also can access previous lists to build your collection and expand the books you recommend to kids.

Thoughts and Tips on Doing Presentations

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I am in the midst of a flurry of presentations on all things youth services. From webinars to conference sessions; keynotes to breakout sessions,  I've been busy prepping ten presentations for March and April's "showtime-gotime." In addition, since January, being an instructor/co-instructor for three classes - both at the graduate and continuing education level - has kept me hopping. These five intensive months of mad slide deck/recording/scripting content-creation soup is at the heart of my consulting work so I think it's fun!

With audiences that vary from grad students, public librarians, academic librarians, adult librarians, school librarians to my favorite - my family of youth librarians - each presentation has to be fine-tuned to meet the needs of the particular listener. It's a great challenge.

All this prezi-power has me thinking about how to prepare for a presentation - whether online or live. Here are a few thoughts from my corner of the world:

Initial Proposal - it's important and should reflect exactly what you will be addressing. Attendees don't like to be sold a "bill-of-goods" that isn't addressed in the presentation. Take time to make it right (even when its for something 6 months away), doable with your knowledge or skill set, and substantive in content. Don't put in everything in the world. Keep to your main focus (you can always pitch another proposal to cover other topics).

Think "Title" - make it snappy. Use your subtitle for the less fancy part of the description. People may come to "Changing Your SLP" but "Busting SLP Barriers: Changing Your SLP" may pique attendee's interest more. Title creation is fun! What is the main thrust of your talk? It will suggest a great title, play on words or image that will draw people in.

Acknowledge Your Source(s) - was a major point in your talk learned from or developed by another person? Acknowledge and thank them. None of us come to any of our knowledge like Athena out of the head of Zeus. We all start our thinking somewhere. Be generous in connecting to the person, book or source of your inspiration.

Writing Content

• Your Proposal Matters - your proposal is often what attendees read to decide if they will come to your session. So be sure to have the proposal in front of you as you create the slide deck and script. Keep checking back to see if you're on track. I often go off on tangents as I create. The proposal description helps me trim away those loose threads and keep the presentation focused on the topic. 
• Keep It Organized - whether you prep the prezi as a "sit-and-get" or audience participation/discussion, make sure you have a recognizable beginning, middle and end and that you keep loose threads out of the picture. Whether you do this through an initial outline or a tight final edit, it will keep you focused on your topic.
• Build in "Slack"- as you write, be sure to leave lots of time in your "script". Often speakers insert unexpected anecdotes; a longer explanation if people are confused or want to answer questions from the audience. By leaving some slack, you allow that unhurried time.
• Start Strong - the first 3 minutes of your presentation are where you hook your audience. Don't spend it introducing yourself  or providing your bonafides to speak on the subject or asking audience questions (you can always do that a slide or two in). Hop right into content. 
• Keep Your Audience at the Forefront - remember, you may be speaking to an audience of multitype librarians; to directors; to staff who come from extremely small communities as well as multi-branch urban areas. Make sure your content speaks to ALL, not just to your own experience and background.

Slide Deck Creation

• Slide Content - Text - don't be text-heavy; use your text as an outline of your points by using a word or phrase. Having your entire script on slides is difficult for people to absorb. Consider instead a word, a phrase, a quote - perhaps coupled with an image. 
• Slide Content - Pictures -if you rely mainly on pictures only or little text - and plan to share the deck through a PDF post-presentation - consider doing animations that transitions from an image to a final bulleted outline of the topic addressed in that slide. That way your PDF slidedeck can double as a "handout" of information rather than just images. 
• Images - illustration, photos, memes are all useful - and you can mix them up no matter what purists say. 
• Animation - make sure the animation or gif serves your point. Don't use them if its just to wake people up. If using gifs, which are visually intensive and arresting, let them "talk" for you and don't leave them on screen long. They hold audience's attention visually and often lose the audience aurally.
• Copyright - Always credit images used from sources - whether from a copyright-free source like Pixabay or images you find online. Write for permission if it isn't clear that the image is in the creative commons. It's a pleasant surprise how many yes's you receive. 
• Design - play with what works best for you. Vary the position of text/image from slide to slide to create visual interest. Take advantage of themed layouts in Powerpoint, Prezi and Google slides to create interest.

Final Prep

• Practice - go though the deck exactly as you would for the presentation. It points out awkward phrasing (we often write and talk quite differently); helps you on your timing (people either rush or slow way down) and gives you a final chance to correct any problems in your slide deck.
• Online vs In-Person - when doing online presentations you need to slow down your delivery; work on removing "ums" and "ahs" and add more slides or animation transitions. People listening/watching need that to help them stay tuned to you. In person, you and your personality are part of the formula so you can use fewer slides and talk at a more normal pace.
• Slidedeck Sharing -if not using Google Slides, transfer your presentation there and share the link. Make sure your "script" for each slide is in the notes field for easy reference by attendees.

Showtime!

• Scripts - Know your script but feel free to have notes or the full script to refer to. If you are speaking from notes and using Powerpoint, use "Presenter Mode" so your notes show up as you present.
• Zen - don't let glitches throw you. No one to introduce you? Do it yourself. Slidedeck/video/computer meltdown? Do the prezi without your visuals.. If you have practiced, you will hit your timing and leave time for questions without rushing. Always be gracious and let your audience know that you've got this even when things aren't going quite right. Be a pro!.

For more presentation tips specifically aimed at conference sessions, stop by this Wisconsin Library Association Youth Services Section blog post. 

And share your tips and thoughts on doing prezis in the comments. I'd love to see lots more colleagues doing presentations. The more people presenting and sharing out in the field, the better for all of us. I look forward to learning from YOU!

Keeping Our Associations and Units Strong

I'm over at the ALSC Blog today talking a bit about my job as an ALSC  Priority Group Consultant. But more importantly, I'm talking about the importance of learning leadership, creating sustainable continuity on committees through succession planning  - and how to volunteer to get active!

See you there!

New Online CE Session Offered for Changing Up Your SLP!

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You asked, we developed and the demand is high.  My co-instructor Sue Abrahamson and I just started teaching our 4 week online course on "Creating the SLP of Your Dreams".

The course filled and we had a big wait list, so UW-Madison iSchool Continuing Ed Dept opened up a new session running March 11- April 7. If you are interested in considering ways to introduce change, cope with burn-out and be part of crowd-sourced ideas, problem-solving and solutions from peers from around the country, registration information is here.  Note: There is a 10% discount if registered by February 25. But don't delay, we are half-full already!

Passing the Baton

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ALA Midwinter is always a time when I think of continuity, sustainability and how I can positively impact the health of my favorite division, ALSC. This is the time when the ALSC President-elect begins the appointments for chairs and members of many process committees. This link tells you about the process, has a volunteer form and let's you read about all the fabulous committees that are within ALSC.

My work as a Priority Group Consultant over the past two years for 11-13 committees and task forces has made this reflection at this time especially important. Keeping continuity strong from chair to chair and within the committees means a more smoothly functioning structure for ALSC. It also means that committees don't have to keep reinventing the wheel and instead can move ALSC, children's librarianship and services to children ahead at warp speed rather than turtle-pace.

We often volunteer for a committees and learn a ton and help accomplish alot together. But in my mind, equally important, is ensuring that the committee continues strongly.  How can we do that?

Chairs:
Look at committee members and mentor/support strong potential leaders who might make a great next chair or co-chair. Is there someone who is organized, meets deadlines, is able to listen as well as talk?  Do they have great ideas but also great follow-through? Do they seem willing to partner with others to get the work done? If you spot one or two people, work with them, show them the ropes and encourage them. Ask them if they might be willing to put their name in to be appointed next chair or co-chair (all appointments are done by the ALSC President-elect). Then email the President-elect and recommend that person.

Also consider people who would make committee members. Do you know people within the division who are willing to step up to serve? Do you know people especially from visible minorities within your library, system or state who would appreciate  chance to be active in ALSC committee work? Talk to them to fill in a volunteer form AND drop a note to the President elect to let her/him/them know that you have a good potential committee member for them.

By thinking beyond your term to ensure a smooth transition, you help strengthen sustainability and continuity for the committee or task force.

Committee Members:
Consider your service not only as a time to pitch in and do stuff but as a time to learn stuff - including how to step up as chair. Chairs are never left to fend for themselves in ALSC. There are often co-chairs; an ALSC office staff liaison who works with/communicates with the committee, a priority group consultant to help navigate the work and organizational structure of ALSC and an engaged board who cares about your service. You learn leadership in a safe and supportive environment.

You also can use your networks to identify potential members or put the word out for more members just like chairs can. Think about diversity, equity and inclusion as you invite people. Encourage them to volunteer and drop that note to the President-elect!

Your recommendation can make a difference in helping people become committee members or more active in ALSC. Thinking not just of yourself but of how you can encourage others to serve is a powerful way to sustain the strength of an organization you care about.

So pass the baton and lift others up through your mentorship and support!

What Makes a Great Youth Librarian?

After talking to children's librarian peers, directors, library educators and library users, I've got some ideas to share on what makes a great children's librarian.

Join me Wednesday, January 23 1-2:00 pm CST for a webinar session at the online Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference sponsored by Wisco's library systems. Registration is still open for this and all 15 webinars presented by national and state speakers.

Session description:
You know them, you’ve seen them, you may even be one! But what factors contribute to making someone a great children’s librarian? You may be surprised at both the universality of the answer as well as the specialized skills and talents that separate the ho-hum from the wowsers! We’ll look at nature vs. nurture; perception vs. reality; what top children’s librarians say are the “must-haves” and the “definitely-don’t-needs; ” and reflect on getting to greatness. Learn how you can step up your game at any time or place in your career (or, if you are a director, coach your staff) to achieve amazingness in youth work.​

Creating the Summer Library/Learning Program of Your Dreams

[There is a 10% course discount if you sign up by Monday January 7]

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Have you been thinking about creating some changes to better meet the needs of your community during your annual summer vacation SLP's? If you've been dreaming or even just want to explore a bit of what's out there, we have a class for you!

Join veteran youth librarian Sue Abrahamson and me for a bracing 4-week online exploration of that most sacred of all cows in youth services - the annual summer library program. We'll look at how SLP's evolved, why we do we what we do; and ideas on how to introduce and sustain change, adaptations, new paradigms and fun into your summer work with the community.

Offered through the UW-Madison iSchool Department of Continuing Education, this asynchronous course (you pop in each week at a time most convenient for you) course offers short lectures, thought-provoking readings and resources, videos and a wonderful forum for you and your peers to share successes, tears, fears and thoughts. This crowd-sourced part of the course lets you share YOUR expertise and experience as well as gain valuable support for your ideas from peers.

Hope you can join us January 28-February 24. You can get all the details here!

Power Up Conference Scholarship Applications Due January 11

Who doesn't want a chance at a free registration at a national conference?!?!

The second Power Up Leadership Conference for Youth Managers and Staff (btw, that's all of us who work with youth in libraries; we all lead no matter where we are in an organization) is happening March 28-29, 2019 in Madison WI at the Pyle Center.

This national conference brings speakers and attendees from across the country together to explore leadership, advocacy, developing leadership skills and leading from where you are. The one and a half day conference is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in thinking about leadership and management and advocacy.

Scholarships to cover the full registration for ten lucky recipients are still open. Scholarship applications are due by January 11. Click here to read about the scholarships and access application form.

Going to School On Summer Learning/Library Programs

Are you feeling a sense of ennui or dread about your upcoming summer library program?  Are you ready to blast the top off it and re-imagine it as a fun, meaningful feast of discovery, adventure and literacy/learning support for kids?

Join my fab colleague Sue Abrahamson, children's librarian and long-time SLP change agent and me as we teach a 4 week continuing ed course: Creating the SLP of Your Dreams, January 28-Feb 24. We'll look at why we do summer programs, myths and reality of effective programs and look at tips and ways to create programs that fit your community and support kids ongoing learning.

From resources to crowd-sourced wisdom and experience shared by participants, we'll look at approaching SLPs with new ideas and energy. Hope you can join us (10% discount if registered by January 7!).

And don't forget to check out the other amazing youth centered CE that the UW-Mdison iSchool CE Dept is offering after the first of the year!

"Fine Free Libraries" Local TEDX Talk Goes National

I want to share some fun news about a colleague of ours, Dawn Wacek.

Earlier this year Dawn was invited by the local TedX hosts at UW-La Crosse to share an "idea worth spreading" - her ideas about creating fine-free libraries. Her talk caught the attention of the curation team at the international TED level and today, her talk was featured on the main page of the national TedX website! It's been fun watching the views head towards 180K.

Dawn, who is the manager of youth services at La Crosse (WI) Public Library, has been a fierce advocate for equitable access in the libraries she works at. It has been great watching the transformation of the youth area and the approach she has brought and encouraged among the staff to make the library more welcoming, more inclusive and a focal point of community for youth and caregivers. 

We're all happy to see this issue so eloquently advocated for by Dawn!

Why Conferences and Associations?

After a great conference I often reflect on why I think professional conferences and association memberships are so important. I had a whirlwind of fall events (ALSC Institute; MN and WI Library Associations; WI Reach Out and Read conference) and I had some thoughts on their importance!

AT CONFERENCES

1)  LEARN A TON

Not just from interesting sessions but also from hallway conversations with new and old friends in libraries and areas of library work we all share.

2)  UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

We get to meet book creators and publishers and look through forthcoming titles that make us more knowledgeable. 

3) OPEN OUR MINDS

They have major speakers who help us and inspire us about our libraries and our work. While we can read award winning youth book award speeches, to be in the audience to hear their passionate and heartfelt remarks is inspirational!

4) DISCOVER AND RE-DISCOVER BEAUTIFUL CITIES

Every conference allows us a chance to get to know a city a little better.

5) FEELING THE LOVE

Publishers, book creators and speakers share their appreciation of the daily work we do. My spirit is always refreshed and my well of energy replenished so I go back ready to dive back in and work hard for my communities.

AS A MEMBER OF AN ASSOCIATION

1) OUR VOICES MATTER

No matter what size library we come from, we can make our voices heard on important library issues WE care about.

2) TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER

Our professional membership means that we support legislative efforts, webinars, classes, booklists, book awards, and efforts to promote libraries of all types and sizes in America. That collective power moves mountains.

3) WE INVEST IN LIBRARIES 

Our dues mean we are investors in keeping libraries healthy, supported and strong in ALL our communities in the state and nation. 

4) WE INVEST IN OURSELVES

We can benefit from what we receive from our associations. But even more importantly, we can volunteer to move library work forward, represent libraries of OUR size, and develop into powerful advocates and leaders thanks to being more involved in association work. This amounts to a strong investment in ourselves and strengthening ourselves as librarians.

I hope you consider becoming an association member or attending local or national conferences. You truly reap far more than the dues you pay. I can honestly say, I would not be the librarian I am today without the support, opportunities, networking and learning that occurred and occurs through my membership and activity in state and national associations.

Wait, dues and costs too expensive? I hear you. Here's something that worked for me to help me afford them when my library couldn't support my attendance financially: 

Do you ever get tired of receiving heart-felt but sometimes useless things from the people you love during holiday or gift-giving?  Why don't you see if family members would give you a gift of membership to a professional association you love but pinch pennies - or can't afford- to join! My mom and my partner used to do that for me and I loved them for it (along with the zillion other ways I loved them!)! And no more bread-making machines, knitted mittens in day-go colors or card tables. Win-win!

Don't Be Fooled By the Weed-After-5-Years Myth

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In my consulting work with youth staffers at all sizes of libraries, I regularly run into  the belief that information books should be weeded after five years. While this may be true in adult information book collections (I doubt it, though), it is a slippery slope in youth information book collections.

Some areas of information books beg to be updated. Books about states or countries - although for my money database subscriptions and no print in this area make far more financial sense; books on technology; gaming; internet, coding and etc; some applied science and general science; updated information on social issues, cultures and history reflective not of a white majority viewpoint but of  people representative of the culture or marginalized group are just a few examples of areas that need frequent updating due to fast-changing information.

Other information books have content that is fairly timeless. The phases of the moon; the water cycle; mythology; biography; animals; pets; maker-crafts are examples.

So weeding calls for far more nuance than an every-five-years-toss.

I wonder whether a reliance on series non-fiction, many of which are "revised" frequently, fuels the 5-year-weed rule in youth books. While publishers of series nonfiction tout their oft-revised editions, careful examination of the revision often reveals that only 2-4 pages have been changed - one is inevitably the copyright page and the matching page in the signature which may feature a new photograph or box of information. The revision is slight but the spending of precious budget money to purchase the "revised" edition is huge. The old copy is weeded and the new one acquired.

While this may work for series nonfiction, it is a killer for quality information books.

Overall, the number of high quality information books published outside of series NF quality is fairly small. Information books that excite and inform with clear text, high quality writing;  illustration/photography that matches and enhances the text and a true respect for children's and teen's understanding are wonderful and rare. When I served on the Siebert Committee, each quality book, even if it wasn't honored by the award, was a cause for celebration (a book on coyotes! a book on Congo Square! a book on the White Rose movement! a book on Basquiat!).

When a quality information book is published, the care taken by the author, editor and publisher most often produces a timeless book whose purpose is to create a work of lasting information value for youth. They can be benchmark books that can used in collections for decades.

A biography like Barton's The Day Glo brothers: the true story of Bob and Joe Switzer's bright ideas and brand-new colors (2009); Gibbons' Cars and how they go (1983); D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths (1962); Branley's The Moon Seems to Change (1987) are just a few examples of information books whose information and presentation for kids have stood the test of time. There are lots more we can think of.

Authors/illustrators produce information books on subjects that might be addressed once every two or three decades - or even longer. Book creators like Russell Freedman, Jason Chin, Jean Fritz, April Sayre, Sy Montgomery, Kadir Nelson, Larry Dane Brimmer, Candace Fleming, Barbara Kerley, Jim Murphy, Carol Boston Weatherford, Steve Sheinkin, Phillip Hoose, Jan Greenburg, Nic Bishop, Ann Bausam, Susan Campbell Bartoletti and a host of others often write books that can be part of collections for generations.

By using a rigid five year weeding rule, we run the very real danger of eliminating books of great worth in our information book collections.

So before just looking at copyright date on information books, we need to look at the subject, how it is treated, whether there are other books of quality that address the subject and consider keeping a high quality nonfiction book with information that is still relevant and illustrative material that still works.

Our collections are deeper and better when we think beyond five year weeds to the true nature of quality information books for kids.

Youth Librarian as Guide and Sister?

I appreciated this recent reflection on "parenting like a librarian" from Michelle Woo, writing for Lifehacker. In the article she references the work of John Holt, unschooling pioneer, and his belief that parents need to "get out the way" and allow kids to discover.  Woo then compares that advice to how we in the library world do just that: offer diverse choices; don't dictate what to read; take part in the cultural conversation; and help people follow their interests.

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This dovetails with something I share with grad students in my classes when we examine history and current practice in youth librarianship.

"Precepts and Practices" by Christine Jenkins published in the September/October 1999 issue of Hornbook has a much quoted set of  beliefs or central concepts in children's librarianship  that are part of our history as well as very present in our current librarianship. One of the seven beliefs she explicates is the the belief that children's librarians have "a friendly and unsentimental older sister's attitude towards children."

This particular description is one that often elicits the most discussion and controversy from students. (sometimes I wonder whether its because students might have fraught sibling relationships). So as I teach, I have given alot of thought to this. I think part of this belief description is turning away from the concept of youth librarians as motherly or grandmotherly; away from the concept of youth librarians as bosses; away from the concept of youth librarians as teachers.

Rather, the description enfolds the best of what an older sibling can provide: pathfinding guidance; experience; and support. Woo's article comes at this in much the same way and really speaks to me about how we approach our work with people of any age that use the library.

I like it!