Published bi-weekly by
Read to Me, a service of the Idaho Commission for Libraries
In this Issue:
Welcome
We know spring is on it's way, but it's still looking very wintery in many parts of the state. ICFL's Northern Idaho Field Consultant Jan Wall shared the photo at the left of the "Palouse Moose" who has been a regular visitor to her yard this winter. We're sending warmer spring thoughts to all of you who are ready to start gardening and welcoming back those school librarians who were able to take some time off for Spring Break.
It's official. Governor Otter signed the Commission's appropriation bill on March 14, 2008. That bill included state funding for the Read to Me program and allows us to encourage public libraries to apply for $5,000 mini-grants. The grant applications are due May 1, 2008 so take a look at the application requirements and application forms today. Peggy McClendon and Stephanie Bailey-White are available to review drafts, talk about possible uses of grant funds, and meet in person with anyone who wants to talk more about the grant. Contact either of us soon!
Meet Colleen Olive
Colleen Olive is the District Librarian / Middle School Librarian in Kamiah. She’s been in the library field for nine years, the past two as the district librarian. The school district has three libraries on campus, serving 600 students in grades k-12
Colleen tackles all of the “regular” school library duties and also serves as the student council advisor. She said that as a child she LOVED the library. “I feel the library is the heart of the school, and I consider it a privilege to work in one.”
Colleen recently took part in the 2008 “Teens and Technology” course offered through the Commission for Libraries. She said she really got a lot out of the online course and in the two face-to-face meetings held in Boise. “I am working on developing a book review blog for students and teachers, and hope to involve neighboring schools. Thanks to what I have learned in the Teens and Technology class, I now know how to do this!”
When asked about her biggest success and challenges, Colleen said finding more books for guys has been a challenge and now a success. “The past two years I have worked on improving our collection for boys. I have watched this population struggle when it comes to finding books that they really love. I put together a ‘grab and go’ section targeted for boys. It has really been successful. Even my reluctant readers are coming around!” Colleen says the biggest challenge is their dwindling budget and the rising cost of materials.
Her favorite part of her job is helping students develop a love for reading. 
Colleen said it’s hard to pick just one book or author, but she loves all of Ann Rinaldi's books. “They are always impeccably researched and seem to touch young readers at their level,” she said. “My first true book love was Where the Red Fern Grows, and also all the Mother Goose stories in my early days.”
Recent reads include Escape by Carolyn Jessop, and Shackleton's Stowaway by Victoria McKernan. It’s a great read for boys,” she said.
When she’s not working at the library, Colleen enjoys “spending time with my family which includes my eight-year-old son, a 21-year-old son (he is serving with the Marines in Iraq), a 23-year-old daughter and a year-old granddaughter named Olivia...my new bff! I also like to ride bikes, hike, read, sew, ride horses and go to the movies.”
Colleen says her favorite flavor of ice-cream is chocolate. “Are there other flavors?” she wondered!
Library to Library
Public and School Librarians Meet in North Idaho
March 21st was a snowy day, but that didn't keep 40+ public and school librarians from braving the weather to gather at the beautiful new Coeur d'Alene Public Library for a day-long meeting. They came to share program ideas and resources, and the event was organized by Susan Thorpe, Coeur d'Alene Public Library; Karen Yother, Kootenai 
Shoshone Area Libraries (KSAL); and Lucy Barnard, Post Falls Public Library. On the program were several presentations by area libraries. Here are some of the great ideas that were shared:
Web 2.0 - Kate Flagg, Kootenai Shoshone Area Libraries
Kate, who attended the recent YALSA "Teens and Technology" online course hosted by the Idaho Commission for Libraries, is a millenial herself and enthusiastic about using and sharing web 2.0 technologies. She talked about how libraries can use social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, flickr, blogs and podcasting. The photo at the right pictures Kate [left] with two of her KSAL colleagues Cassie Kelley [center] and Karen Yother [right].
Conspiring Together: A Tale of Two Libraries - Lucy Barnard, Post Falls Public Library and Lisa Walden, Post Falls Middle School
Lisa and Lucy (pictured left) shared how their public/school library collaboration came about and lessons they have learned along the way. They just met this year when Lisa started as the librarian at the Middle School, and they have formed a partnership to benefit the youth ages 11-14 they both serve. So far, they have worked together on ILL, booktalks and assignment alerts. Each library type has advantages and challenges that compliment one another. Public libraries usually have a larger book budget and their collection development policies are less restricted. Lisa often book talks books that are not in the school library collection and sends her students to the public library to find them. School libraries see students daily and can act as a conduit for the public library. Lucy went to the school to get input from the school librarian and students on Post Falls Library's new teen space. Both Lucy and Lisa mentioned the importance of making time to meet face to face and build a relationship that will pay dividends later. They are excited about continuing their partnership to bring better service to the tweens and teens they serve.
School Age Book Club - Ruth Nelson, Coeur d'Alene Public Library
Ruth shared their successful book club program for students ages 9-13. The group meets once a week and has a core group of regulars. The 
higherst attendance has been 15 or 16. The library buys multiple copies of the books and checks them out on the children's own library card. They started with the Young Readers Choice Award books as the library already had multiple copies of those titles. The group is led by a volunteer, a retired teacher, and library staff provides back up if the volunteer is absent. Refreshments are served and each book is discussed over a 2-3 week period, depending on the length of the book. At the final program for each book, children may dress as their favorite character from the book. Ruth recommended several professional development titles to help get a book group started, including: Serving Young Teens and 'Tweens, edited by Sheila B. Anderson (2007).
American Girl Tea Party - Abi Chase, Coeur d'Alene Public Library
The Coeur d'Alene Library has been doing the AG tea for a number of years. The event is open to children (most all are girls) ages 7-12 and an accompanying adult. After age 12, children can become volunteers for the tea. Abi said one of the main reasons to do the tea is to allow the children to experience past history. It is also an opportunity to dress up and practice social skills. At each tea, one of the American Girl dolls is featured and the tea features food from the same era. The event is limited to about 100 and participants must pre-register. Abi stressed the importance of being organized with plenty of volunteers to serve on small committees, including food, invitations, decorations, etc. An special speaker is invited, prizes are given, and a written program and commerative bookmark is given to all guests. The children's department puts together a display of books and dolls to promote the program. Read more about it and see photos on the Coeur d'Alene Public Library's website.
Cat in the Hat Birthday Party - Lucy Barnard, Post Falls Public Library
The Post Falls Library purchased a Cat in the Hat costume for about $40 and Lucy said it is a good investment because you can use it year after year. For the program the library sets up three stations: one for story reading (a great opportunity for guest readers), one for hat making (the library provides a paper pattern) and one for fact painting. Teen volunteers do the face painting and the library limits the face designs to a "cat" face to keep it simple. Each face painting station has a photo of the "cat" face to use as a guide. Lucy recommends using a good quality brush ($2) and says a little face paint goes a long way so it is pretty economical.
School-Public Library Partnerships - Renee Kunas, North Idaho VISTA Coordinator
Renee supervises the VISTA Volunteers located in elementary school in north Idaho. The VISTA Volunteer program places a person who receives a small stipend into schools to promote literacy. The school must apply through the State Department of Education for a VISTA position and can host one for up to three years. About 30 VISTA's are in schools statewide. Renee talked about the great partnerships that have been formed between schools and public libraries with the help of a VISTA. She stressed the importance of communication to share details of events that are ideal for partnerships, such as Back to School nights, Jump Start kindergarten registration, school carnivals, family reading nights and other events that bring families to the school. She encouraged public librarians to attend these events to promote the public library. VISTA's have also been active in promoting public library summer reading programs. Renee also suggested sharing promotional flyers to cross promote school and library events and to link to each others' websites.
If you have a great idea to share, send a quick e-mail to Peggy or Stephanie and tell us about it. We'd love to share it in the next Scoop!
Young Adult Corner
Lost Among the Young Adult Stacks
by Jennifer Hills & Beth Twitchell
Ah, youth. A time of excitement and disappointment, of love and hate, of drama and life. At least, that’s what Young Adult literature seems to be all about. Teenagers tend to gravitate towards the books that mirror their lives. So it begs the question: How do you excite teens about nonfiction, something they see as very boring and having no relevance to them?
The answer is not as elusive as one might think. True, it may be difficult to get teens to read anything at all, especially nonfiction, but it can be done. There are three elements to consider when thinking about Young Adult Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory: appeal factors, narrative, and genre. First, think about what attracts teens to fiction, and then apply those to nonfiction. For example, young adults, inundated with fast-paced movies and television shows, will appreciate the fast-paced nonfiction books best. Teens want strong characters—either villains or heroes—but ones they can definitely relate to.
Narrative also needs to be closely looked at. Teens are more likely to read a nonfiction book that reads like fiction than one that reads like their textbooks, which we all know aren’t even cracked open. The best nonfiction book will trick the reader into thinking he is reading a good novel, yet still have all the important facts of nonfiction.
Finally, there is genre. We have discovered that most nonfiction books can fall into one of twelve categories (and sometimes more). However, teens, being teens, will probably really only be interested in about eight of those categories (please watch for an upcoming ICFL newsletter article for an in-depth discussion of this and more). These eight include: adventure (survival, exploration, and disaster); animals and natural history; crime and criminals; history; humor; memoirs; pop culture; and sports.
Knowing all the genres and appeal factors is important, but it still doesn’t solve the problem of how to entice teens to the nonfiction area. Here are a few humble suggestions that may be of some use:
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Pair the nonfiction with the fiction. When a teen says that he’s just read the best book about World War II, guide him into the direction of Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation or James Brady’s Flags of Our Fathers (both even have Young Adult editions out).
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Speaking of Flags of Our Fathers, keep an eye out for nonfiction books that have been made into movies. Chances are that the teenagers will see the movie and then be interested in the real life story.
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Keep it current, especially when it comes to memoirs. Most teens aren't going to sit down with a book about George Washington, but Miley Cyrus, now there’s a whole different story (of course, we jest). This is also important when it comes to the humorous books, especially if they don’t understand the jokes that reference things before they were even born. Also, recommend newer books that have been written on history topics. These are usually packaged more attractively, and teens will respond well to that.
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Display, display, display. All of the suggestions above would make excellent table or shelf displays. If young adults see the cover, they are more apt to pick a book up, especially if it’s a brightly colored or interesting cover. Also, make bookmarks or pamphlets that have nonfiction reading suggestions. This will make the search easier for both you and your patron.
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Become familiar with the library’s adult nonfiction collection. Most libraries don’t have a very large YA nonfiction section, and most teens don’t want to go to the juvenile section. Be able to recommend some good books from the adult section, especially if it’s a true crime book, which teens seem to enjoy immensely.
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A young adult’s life is full of angst, peer pressure, and raging hormones. Because of this, teens seem to especially like the books where a person overcomes a trial and comes out okay on the other end. In our library, books like A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer are very popular.
Remember, young adults are a fickle bunch! What may be in one day won’t be the next. What you may find as a readable nonfiction book, they may see as the most boring thing anyone has ever written. And they may just reject your attempts at promoting nonfiction. But stick with it. Patience is key. And remember to look for appeal factors, narrative, and genre. If you start now, you can encourage the young adults in your library to be lifelong nonfiction readers. Good luck!
[Editor's Note: Jennifer and Beth presented a great session on Reader's Advisory and Nonfiction at two of the ILA Regional Conferences last year and we asked them to write up some of the information from those sessions. Jennifer Hills & Beth Twitchell are reference librarians at the Twin Falls Public Library. The Scoop editors would love to hear how you are promoting nonfiction to your younger patrons. What books do they love? Are you booktalking nonfiction? Send us a quick e-mail and we'll send you a neat nonfiction book to add to your collection.]
Book Look
Top 6 Books about the Political Process / Elections / Voting
With all the buzz about the upcoming election, we thought this was a great column to reprint here. It is written by Elizabeth Kennedy. Ms. Kennedy writes a regular column for http://childrensbooks.about.com/. They also have a great e-newsletter you can subscribe to for free. We’ve reprinted her column about election books here.
The following recommended children's books include fiction and nonfiction, books for young children and books for older children, funny books and serious books, all related to the importance of elections, voting, and the political process. I recommend them for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and every other day you want your child to learn more about elections, voting, the political process, good citizenship, and the importance of each vote that is cast.
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Vote!
Eileen Christelow's exuberant illustrations and the book's comic book style lend themselves well to this story about an election. While the example here is about the campaign and election of a mayor, Christelow covers the major components in any election for public office and provides lots of bonus information as well. The inside front and back covers feature election facts, games, and activities. I recommend it for ages 8-12. (Clarion Books, 2003, paperback, 2004. ISBN: 0618486062)
- So You Want to Be President?
Judith St. George is the author of So You Want to Be President?, which she has revised and updated several times. The illustrator, David Small, received the 2001 Caldecott Medal for his irreverent caricatures. The 52-page-long book includes information about each president of the United States, accompanied by one of Small’s illustrations. I recommend it for ages 9-12. (Philomel Books, 2000, 2004. ISBN: 0399243178)
- Duck for President
Farmer Brown's farmyard animals, first introduced in Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type, are at it again. This time, Duck is tired of all the work on the farm and decides to hold an election so he can be in charge of the farmyard. While he wins the election, he still has to work hard, so he decides to run for governor, and then, president. The text and Betsy Cronin's lively illustrations are a riot. I recommend it for 4-8 year olds. (Simon & Schuster, 2004. ISBN: 0689863772)
- Running for Public Office
I recommend this nonfiction account of the process of running for public office for upper elementary students, particularly for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Written by Sarah De Capua, it is part of the A True Book series. The book is divided into five chapters and covers everything from What Is a Public Office? to Election Day. There is a helpful index and a great many color photographs that enhance the text. (Children's Press, A Divison of Scholastic. ISBN: 0613543300)
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Max for President
Max and Kelly are running for class president at their elementary school. The campaign is a busy one, with speeches, posters, buttons, and lots of outlandish promises. When Kelly wins the election, Max is disappointed until she selects him to be her vice president. This is a good book for 7-10 year olds. It was written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Books, 2004. ISBN: 0375824286)
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote
This children's nonfiction book by Ann Bausum focuses on the 1913-1920 time period, the final years of the struggle for a woman's right to vote. The author sets the historical context for the struggle and then goes into detail about how the right to vote for women was won. The book contains many historical photographs, a chronology, and profiles of a dozen women who fought for women's voting rights. I recommend it for 9-14 year olds. (National Geographic, 2004. ISBN:0792269969)
Idaho Falls Public Library's Youth Services Librarian Sarah Jackson passed along the following book as a good resource for edible bug crafts.
The Secret Life of Food, by Clare Crespo. (Hyperion, 2002. ISBN: 9780786837359)
This children’s cook book features fun creations like Pretzel butterflies, caterpillar cake, and candy bugs; all great recipes for cooking up a pesky summer reading treat. It’s also a great resource for any librarian working on a Gross Foods program for boys, or looking for a fast and easy treat to fit their storytime themes.
Upcoming Deadlines
If you are interested in participating in any of the upcoming Read to Me programs, here are some deadlines to keep in mind:
- Read to Me mini-grants are due May 1. Find more information and the application form at http://libraries.idaho.gov/readtome. [publically-funded public libraries]
- Apply online for Fred Meyer books by May 1. [public libraries]
- First Book applicatons are due on May 30. Find more information and the application form at http://libraries.idaho.gov/node/386. [public or school libraries]
- Summer Reading websites to be branded and have information posted by June 2 [public libraries]
- Send Summer reading steering committee meeting notes by June 2 to Peggy (fax: 208-334-4016) [public libraries]
Summer Reading News
Record Number of Libraries Respond to Reading Outreach Opportunities
The response to the Bright Futures Outreach Opportunities has been fantastic. Eighty-seven libraries are willing to put extra effort into attracting more kids to summer reading through one or more of the following: school visits, library programs outside the library, school partnerships, steering committees, and promoting summer reading on their website. In fact, we have had a 14% increase in library applications over 2007.
The biggest increase came for School Visits. Applications exceeded our projection by 7,000, a whopping 24% over 2007. To meet the increased demand, we scrambled to order an alternative item that would arrive in time for school visits. We found cute plastic bug bookmarks that should especially appeal to older kids. These will supplement the plush bugs for some libraries. We'll notify you by email if you are one of these libraries.
ICFL staff is busy counting plush bugs, bug jars, books and other items in preparation for mailing them to libraries. The school visit materials will be mailed first. If you applied for it, look for your bugs and canvas bags to arrive starting next week.
Fred Meyer "Books for Summer Readers"
There is still plenty of time for public libraries to sign up to receive free paperback books for the Fred Meyer's "Books for Summer Readers." If ICFL is successful in getting the grant, free paperback books will be sent the end of May to every Idaho public library who signs up (deadline May 1). A list of libraries will be updated weekly so you can check to see if you have signed up. Branch libraries are eligible too. Just go to the summer reading website and click on the "Books for Summer Readers" online form. For questions contact Peggy.
"Catch the Reading Bug" and "Metamorphosis @ Your Library" Web Graphics Ready
Here is a message from ICFL's ace web design specialist, Eric Hildreth:
"In case you haven't heard, this year's Summer Reading themes (Metamorphosis and Catch the Reading Bug) are now available to you for use in your e-Branch site. Just like last year, we have given the themes the ability to work on a page by page basis without the system touching the look and feel of all your other pages! For example, if you are putting together separate summer reading pages for your teens and your kids, you can use the Metamorphosis theme on one, and the Catch the Reading bug on the other, all the while still having a theme like Bookin' as your main theme. Here's the catch: this functionality isn't set up by default. If you want to tap into this feature, please phone me, e-mail me, IM me, Skype me, or send a carrier pigeon, whichever contact method is easiest for you. The request will be processed in the order received and I will get back to you as quickly as possible."
You can contact Eric at:
208 334-2150 x146 | in-state toll-free: 800 458-3271
eric.hildreth@libraries.idaho.gov
Skype, Gtalk, Yahoo, MSN: ejhildreth
School Zone
School library survey in progress
The Idaho Commission for Libraries is now collecting annual statistics for the current 2007/2008 school year, the pilot year for an ongoing initiative. Data should be submitted by June 15, although submissions will be accepted over the summer. Among other things, the data will help assess the correlation between Idaho’s school libraries and student achievement. Preliminary data will be available in October 2008.
Go to http://libraries.idaho.gov/school-library-stats for more information on the online collection tool and how to get your school’s username and password. The form is currently available, allowing you to see what information is being collected.
Know the Numbers
Students at schools with good school libraries have 10-18 percent better test scores than schools with lower rated libraries. This holds true despite socio-economic differences. (Source: Libraries and Student Achievement: The importance of school libraries for improving student test scores, Threshold: Winter 2004, Available at http://www.ciconline.org/. Accessed May 1, 2006)
Circulation of children’s materials at public libraries is 50 percent higher in school districts scoring in the top third of a standardized reading test than those scoring in the lowest third. Similar results were found for states with the highest and lowest reading scores. (Source: The Library Research Service, Fast Facts, Oct. 22, 1998, ED3/110.10/No. 153. Available at http://www.lrs.org/documents/fastfacts/153PLRDG.PDF. Accessed May 1, 2006)
A Closer Look at Idaho's New IRI Assessments
Students in Kindergarten through third grade are given a benchmark assessment called the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) in compliance with state law. The purpose of the assessment is to identify students who may need extra help to become successful readers. The IRI is given three times per school year, in the fall, winter and spring. An administrator, chosen and trained by the local school districts, assesses students individually. The IRI benchmark assessment takes about 10 minutes to complete. The information provided by this assessment is used as an indicator of progress and is not intended to be a comprehensive measure of reading ability.
In 2007-08, the State Department of Education began using a new assessment system called AIMSWeb. The Department is still in the process of providing training to schools on the new assessment. The state’s decision to provide a new format for the IRI was made so the benchmark assessment would align with nationally normed assessments, rather than one designed uniquely for Idaho.
The new AIMSWeb assessment is based on how fluently students read. Starting in Kindergarten, students are timed to see how quickly they recognize capital and lower case letters and letter sounds. As they progress through the grades, they are timed to see how quickly and accurately they perform reading tasks.
Students receive an overall score based on their performance. They are assigned a 1, 2 or 3 depending on where they fall in the range of scores. A score of 3 indicates the student is performing at grade level, a 2 indicates they are near grade level, and a 1 shows they are below grade level.
To see how the students in your community are doing on the IRI, go to www.sde.idaho.gov/readingindicator. You can search by individual school or district or see how well Idaho students are doing as a whole. The web site also provides training workbooks, sample tests, and information for parents.
What is reading fluency? Fluency is often defined as the rate (words per minute) and accuracy (number of words correctly identified) with which students read. The long-term goal of reading instruction is comprehension. To achieve this goal, students must be able to:
- Recognize words automatically
- Group individual words into meaningful phrases, and
- Quickly figure out unknown words by thinking about the context to words they do know
If students’ reading is slow and labored, they may not remember what they read or be able to relate the material to their own background knowledge to comprehend it. In general, less-fluent readers have poorer comprehension and tend to read less, partly because they require more time to read. In one first-grade study, the average skilled reader read about three times as many words in group reading sessions as the less-skilled readers. (The source of the information on fluency is Teaching Reading Sourcebook, by Honig, Diamond, and Gutlohn, 2000)
What does this have to do with libraries?
Library staff in elementary schools and public libraries should be aware of what the IRI is, how it is scored, and how well students in their community are performing on the benchmark assessment. While fluency is only one component of a successful reading program, many parents and teachers will be focused on ways to encourage more accurate, effortless, and expressive reading. Libraries can provide resources and programs that help achieve this goal. The following are a few ideas:
“Paws”itive Programming: Several libraries in Idaho have programs where kids can read to therapy dogs or practice reading aloud in a stress-free environment. Students become fluent readers by reading and need time to practice. Therapy dogs provide a great audience and purpose for reading. During this time, no one uses a stop watch or corrects mistakes, which often motivates children to read longer with more enjoyment. Reader Theatre programs, puppet and other plays, and “buddy” reading programs where older students practice reading “easy” books for younger students are other examples of programs that encourage students to “perform” and model fluent reading.
Auditory Modeling: Research shows one of the reasons children fail to read fluently is they have never heard fluent reading models. Auditory modeling, either live or taped, may be the most powerful technique for showing children how a reader’s voice makes sense out of written text. Storyhours are the best example of this and the mainstay of library programming. Promoting audiobooks for auditory modeling is another service libraries can provide. More elementary school libraries offer books on tape or CD and count these as equals for Accelerated Reading programs and other incentive-based reading programs. Encouraging parents to utilize the new e-audio book service and listening to books with their children can be another way to promote listening to fluent readers.
Books for Two (or more): There are several books designed for multiple readers. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together, by Mary Ann Hoberman (Little, Brown, 2001) is the best example of this. The gist of the book is that reading aloud and listening as others read aloud is an integral part of early literacy. “Here's a book/With something new-/You read to me!/I'll read to you!" instructs a passage in the introduction. Hoberman has written several great books in this style. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, by Paul Fleischman won the Newbery Award in 1989. This children's book of poetry about insects was designed for two readers to enjoy together. On each page are two columns of verse for children to alternate reading aloud about the lives of six-legged creatures. This would be a great programming idea for the 2008 Summer Reading Program. Fleishman has written other poetry books for two voices and more recently penned Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices for older elementary students. These types of books offer something unique for students and provide a purpose for repeated readings. They can be a nice break from standard books and can be fun to read with adults and peers. Displays, bookmarks and handouts of great books to read aloud will help guide adults and children toward books they’ll enjoy reading and listening to.
Providing support for parents: In addition to helping parents select good books to read to and with their children, librarians can provide guidance in how to make their reading time together less pressured and a more positive experience. Reminding parents that “it takes a lot of easy reading to make reading easy” is one way to help their children pick books that are easier to decode and to practice reading fluently. Showing them the “five finger rule” where you count (silently) the number of errors a student reads in a paragraph or page they read aloud. If you get to five before the paragraph or page is finished, the book may be too challenging for them and you may want to try another title for reading practice. Information on the six early literacy skills from the Read to Me program or Jim Trelease’s Read Aloud Handbook are other sources of support and information for parents.
Keeping reading fun (and develop all those other skill areas too): Librarians want to help nurture lifelong readers. It’s important to keep the end goal of reading in mind and not neglect the other vitally important areas of reading. Helping kids develop into lifelong readers requires instilling a love of reading. And, there are many other reading and early literacy skills that libraries and parents can help children with, including vocabulary development, narrative skills, print awareness, print motivation, phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and writing. Music and movement programs and craft programs that let kids explore their interests allow children to engage socially with peers and are also important in a child’s social and emotional development. These skills help develop well rounded children who will want to visit the library now and in the future.
Tips & Tools
New Books!
The Idaho Commission for Libraries Professional Development Service (PDS) provides access to numerous titles in the field of library and information sciences. Free shipping to and from your library is provided! See http://libraries.idaho.gov/pds for more information. The following are a few of the recent additions.
Tempered Radicals: How Everyday Leaders Inspire Change at Work, by Debra E. Meyerson, Harvard Business School Press, 2003. This book broadens and redefines conceptions of leadership and organizational change to explain how individuals committed to social ideas can impact the dynamics of everyday organizational life. [ICFL 658.406 MEYERSO]
Teen Programs With Punch: A Month-by-Month Guide, by Valerie A. Ott, Libraries Unlimited, 2006. Recognizing the fact that there is no such thing as a typical teenager, the programs in this book represent a broad range of interests, from arts and crafts workshops to educational programs to purely recreational activities—from serious to serious fun. [ICFL 027.62 OTT]
Toward a 21st Century School Library Media Center, by Esther Rosenfeld and David V. Loertscher, Scarecrow Press, 2007. This collection of articles, written by some of the most respected leaders in school librarianship, demonstrates how teacher-librarians, classroom teachers, and administrators can work together to improve library services. [027.8 TOWARD]
Library 101: A Handbook for the School Library Media Specialist, by Claire Stephens, Libraries Unlimited, 2007. This handbook is a must have for new and inexperienced school librarians. It will also serve as a source of information for library professionals in guiding their clerical staff, students, and parent volunteers. It covers everything from library management systems to budgeting, television production, and how to collaborate with teachers. [ICFL 027.8 STEPHEN]
Improving the Quality of Library Services for Students With Disabilities, ed. Peter Hernon and Philip Calvert, Libraries Unlimited, 2006. The authors discuss circumstances affecting services for the disabled and provide two versions of data-collection instrument which individual institutions can modify to reflect their particular needs and situations. [ICFL 027.663 IMPRO S]
Choices Booklists: Children’s Choices
This is a booklist with a twist: Children themselves evaluate the books, and provide reviews of their favorites. Since 1974, Children’s Choices have been a trusted source of book recommendations used by teachers, librarians, parents—and children themselves. The project is cosponsored by the International Reading Association and the Children’s Book Council.
Each year 100 books are chosen by 10,000 children between the ages of 5 and 13 from across the country. The result is a list of books that are guaranteed to be a hit! Check out the list at: www.reading.org/resources/tools/choices_childrens.html
Storytubes
Children, parents, educators, librarians and anyone else who loves stories-StoryTubes is here! Kids across the country in Grades 1-6 are invited to talk about their favorite book on YouTube for a chance to win prizes. It's simple! Just make a 2-minute-or-shorter video about your favorite book and upload it to YouTube. Then, go to http://storytubes.com/ with a parent, upload your video and send the link to your video to the National StoryTubes Contest.
StoryTubes videos can be entered beginning April 1. You choose a category for your video: Hair-Raising Tales, From or For the Heart, Of Heroes and Heroines, or Facts, Fads and Phenoms. Each week, the top ten videos in each category will be featured for voting. Voting mania will then begin and happen each week in May! At the end of each week, one lucky contestant will win $500 in books. Their sponsoring organization (school, library or designated organization for home-schooled youth) will receive $1,000 in books. Book prizes are sponsored by publishers Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, Eaglemont Press, DK Publishing, Charlesbridge Publishing and Shenanigan Books.
The StoryTubes national partner libraries are: Northeast: Middle Country Public Library of Centereach; NY; Southeast: The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County/ImaginOn, Charlotte, NC; Midwest: Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL; Northwest: King County Library System, Issaquah, WA; and Southwest: Pasadena Public Library, Pasadena, CA.
Get your story, camera (almost any digital camera will do) and let the streaming stories begin! For more information, visit http://www.storytubes.info/.
News Beyond Idaho
Library tours target first graders
The Grant R. Brimhall Library in Thousand Oaks, CA hosts 775 first grade students on library tours every year. Library staff work with 39 teachers in the school district and over 100 chaperones. Tours begin January 10 and continue on various days through April 18.
"Many of the students attended summer reading programs at the library or participated in toddler story times before they started school. But there are children who have never been to the library and we want them to see the beautiful new expansion. We hope they will feel welcome and want to return with their parents," explained Children's Services Supervisor Anne Landon. "The students will also learn what wonderful materials we have here and they they can borrow them and enjoy them at home as well as in the library."
The children receive a few small souvenirs to remember their visit along with a letter to their parents letting them know about the trip.
"While we want to promote the library, we also hope these trips promote reading and learning which is fundamental for a successful school experience. Most people think of field trips as going far away, but this field trip lets students know what a valuable place they have in their own backyard. We hope these visits leave a positive imprint on the children so they will return many times in the future," Landon said. [Source: The UNABASHED Librarian, No 142. p. 10)
We know several Idaho libraries host similar tours. We listened to someone from Washington state talk about the success of library field trips who said the chance to reach the students and the many parent chaperones really increased attendance at library programs and their database use. We'd love to hear about how you plan these and what you do. We may even be able to provide enough paperback books for each student for your next round of tours if you share with The Scoop. E-mail Stephanie today!
Talk Back: We welcome your feedback on anything in The Scoop. Just e-mail Peggy or Stephanie and we'll print your comments in The Scoop.
