Welcome to October!: Biblio-Mash-Up

Welcome to October, folks!

I'll be your resident blogger for this month...and what a month it's set to be! There are a lot of library-related developments taking place on in our schools, around town and nationally. Consider this first blog post a "mash-up" of all of the best that has flashed onto my radar for this month....

First and foremost, it's National Banned Books Week! (Sept. 30-Oct.6th)

There's still time for you to acknowledge this with a discussion or activity connected to our freedom to read and to celebrate teachers and librarians as ardent defenders of our first amendment rights.

Helpful links for Banned Books Week:
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/
Center for the Book's official BBW site.

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek
Resources from ALA, natch.

http://www.abffe.org/?page=BBWPosters
Resources from the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE).

http://www.youtube.com/user/howl2011?feature=results_main
Youtube Channel for ABFFE's "Virtual Read-Out".

October is doubly special... 

Did you know it is also National Information Literacy Awareness Month?

I (embarrassingly) did not!  As of September, New York State was one of 10 states to issue "Information Literacy Awareness Proclamations". To find out just what that might entail, visit the website of the National Foundation for Information Literacy (NFIL): Foundation for Information Literacy Website

BTW: Info Lit awareness month has also been decreed by Pres.Obama, himself, here.

Librarian Events coming up:  Delights await!...

Oct. 3rd-5th: Library 2.012: Worldwide Virtual Conference

Founded by The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San José State University, this virtual conference explores the current state of the library profession, as well as it's future, through presentations and discussions by innovative librarians, educators and thinkers.

Oct.10th: Educator's Night @ Word Bookstore in Greenpoint, Brooklyn:

Preview new books, score some prizes and give-aways and meet author RJ Palacio of acclaimed KidLit-hit "Wonder"...All whilst you sip wine and nibble snacks. Not bad!

Oct. 29th:  Librarians Appreciation Night at McNally Jackson Bookstore in Soho

David Levithan, Sophie Blackall, Adelle Griffin, Tonya Hurly, Matt Luckhurst, Patricia McCormick, Matthew Reinhart, small press publishing Reps, large press publishing reps, raffles, give-aways, galleys, refreshments...need I say more?!

Goodies

Lastly, I leave you with a round-up of some awesome blogs librarians should check out, if you haven't already! These are blogs I've found exceptionally interesting and useful, as of late...

http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/
"Interesting Non fiction for kids". Provocative reviews and discussions about creative non-fiction, K-12.

http://www.classroom20.com/?xg_source=badge
Classroom/Library strategies for implementing Web 2.0 projects & activities.

http://www.hackcollege.com/
Very interesting Web 2.0-ish sight geared toward high school and college kids.

http://teacherlibrarian.ning.com/
Blogs, forum, ideas and just plain awesomeness...

http://www.mightylittlelibrarian.com/
Find ideas and inspiration from the "Mighty Little Librarian" (aka Tiffany Whitehead)

http://medinger.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/some-informal-thoughts-on-karen-cushmans-will-sparrows-road-and-grace-lins-starry-river-of-the-sky/
Interesting literary blog from a 4th Grade teacher at Dalton.

http://www.bluerosegirls.blogspot.com/
A blog collective of female professionals from the world of Children's and YA book publishing.

Wishing you a fun-filled October in your libraries and beyond,

Laura Bishop

Membership Coordinator, 2011-2013

Looking for a FREE Live Author Visit?

As many school librarians know, great author & illustrator visits can cost a pretty penny these days.  While many of us don't have budgets that can accomodate best-selling, award-winning guests we are (fortunately) now in an age where technology and a little ingenuity go a long way in leveling our access.

School Library Journal hosts a series of webcasts that brings popular, award-winning authors & illustrators into your libraries and classrooms LIVE via webcast.  Hundreds of students and educators have already tuned into webcasts with Jeff Kinney and Rick Riordan.  (And if you missed the live event, no problem!  SLJ has a list of archives available for viewing as well.)

The next author visit that you and your students can tune into is just around the corner.  Brooklyn Friends School will be hosting Newbery Honor-winning author, Shannon Hale, on Monday, October 1 at 1pm.   

You can register for the event here and watch LIVE online with your students in the comfort of your own library.  Members of the virtual audience will have opportunities to participate with Shannon and the live audience in real time.  Don't miss out!

We recommend that you register in advance and test your computer for all the necessary system requirements.  Also, you can take a peek at the BFS library blog to see the kind of information I sent home (letter to families, book order forms, etc.) about this visit.

Mark Your Calendars!

There's so much happening this Fall.  Here's just a snapshot of some of the great workshops, conferences, and book-related events that I'm keeping my eye on.  What about you?  Any great events that HVLA should know about?  Let us know in the comments below.

Brooklyn Book Festival
Date of Event: Sunday, September 23, 2012 - 10:00AM  to 6:00PM (check the website for additional "Bookend" events September 17-23)
Location: Brooklyn Borough Hall & Plaza
Need to Know:  Calling all book lovers!  Join Brooklynites for the largest FREE literary event in New York City, presenting an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors.

KidLitCon
Date of Event: Friday, September 28 - Saturday, September 29, 2012

Location: New York Public Library - The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Need to Know: Join Betsy Bird (A Fuse #8 Production), Monica Edinger (Educating Alice), and Liz Burns (A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy) as they explore the KidLitosphere from a variety of angles.

Live Webcast with Shannon Hale

Date of Event: Monday, October 1, 2012 - 1:00PM

Location: Brooklyn Friends School  (That's my school!)
Need to Know: BFS is excited to host award-winning author Shannon Hale.  Register in advance so you and your students can join us online.  If you miss the live event, the webcast will be archived and available for on-demand viewing at your convenience.

BookFest @ Bank Street
Date of Event: Saturday, October 27, 2012 - 9:00AM to 3:30PM (Registration begins today at Noon. Get your tickets ASAP.  This event sells out quickly!)

Location: Bank Street College of Education
Need to Know:  Keynote speakers, author panels, and small breakout groups assure this event has something for everyone.  This is by far my favorite professional development event of the year!

Also...

Are you planning on going to one or both of ALA's national conferences?  Have you considered bundling your registration fees for 2013 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference?  It's a great way to cut down on costs.  Bundled registration ends Midnight, September 30th.

September Book Club...now October Book Club!

Date/Time: **Please Note: DATE CHANGE**

Tuesday, September 25th Tuesday, October 2, 5:30pm

Location:
Elisabeth Irwin High School -- In the library!
40 Charlton Street

(between 6th Ave & Varick)

What We're Reading:
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

August Book Club

Date/Time:

Monday, August 27th at 4:00pm (NOTE: Time has changed to accomodate those back to work.  Happy Fall!)

Location: 

Union Square B&N in the cafe

What We're Reading:
Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies by Marc Aronson (Our first YA non-fiction pick!)
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead (This book will be available on August 7th.)

July Book Club

Date/Time:

Monday, July 16th at 2:00pm

Location: 

Union Square B&N in the cafe

What We're Reading:
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

IBBY Goes to London!

For those of you who are still considering summer plans, The International Board on Books for Young People world congress will take place August 23-26 in London.  Take a look here to see the full line-up.  I went to my first IBBY conference this year (it was the United States branch of IBBY, and the conference was in California) and it gave me a whole new viewpoint on children's and YA literature.  It is truly thrilling to be able to see displays of books from all over the world as well as to see presentations by authors and illustrators you've never heard of before, yet who are stars in their own countries.

Authors who will speak at the London congress include Shaun Tan, Jamila Gavin (if you haven't read The Coram Boy, you are missing something very special), Beverley Naidoo, and Michael Rosen.

Other speakers will include librarians and literacy experts from Cameroon, Japan, Italy, Germany, Romania, Israel, Venezuela, Iran, and the list goes on.

I'll be reporting back on the conference when I get home, but it would be great to share this experience with some HVLA colleagues.

Guest Post brought to you by HVLA member Constance Vidor, Director of Library Services at Friends Seminary.