Programming Librarian

2010

New for August at EDSITEment
Shelley NiTuama | August 12, 2010
This month EDSITEment looks at the Statue of Liberty and Thomas Hart Benton’s The Sources of Country Music as well as resources for United States history, world history, literature and language arts, and arts and culture.

Q&A with Nicolette Vaillancourt, 2010 Jaffarian Award Winner
Colleen Barbus | August 10, 2010
Nicolette Vaillancourt is the Learning Resource Center director at Jefferson Elementary School in Elmhurst, Illinois. Her program, The Elmhurst History Project, won the 2010 Jaffarian Award.

Help Your Teens Become Stars with SchoolJam USA
Jennifer Paisley-Schuch | August 05, 2010
Teen bands across the country are invited to step onto the stage to compete in SchoolJam USA. This national, one-of-a-kind, teen battle-of-the-bands competition is accepting applications from middle and high school students aiming to showcase their talent and bolster much-needed support for school music programs.

Featured Library: Rainbow City Public Library
Angela Hanshaw | August 03, 2010
The Rainbow City (Ala.) Public Library just wrapped up their summer reading program for kids. Featuring the theme “Make a Splash—Read!,” the program had 586 registered participants reading 9,500 books.

Has Your Library Stepped Up to the Plate?
Megan McFarlane | July 29, 2010
The Campaign for America’s Libraries is looking for stories showing how libraries are promoting the fifth season of Step Up to the Plate @ your library. From now until August 17, libraries are encouraged to submit stories, photos and videos of Step Up to the Plate @ your library activities.

Too Much of a Good Thing
Angela Hanshaw | July 27, 2010
The good news? Your library programs are so successful that people have to line up for them. The bad news? Your library programs are so successful that people have to line up for them. Offering programs that are extremely well-attended by patrons seems like the ideal, but a recent article on New Canaan Public Library’s overcrowding issue showed me that there’s a downside to success as well.

Only Fifty-Nine Days Until Talk Like a Pirate Day
Angela Hanshaw | July 22, 2010
As Dave Barry once wrote, “Every now and then, some visionary individuals come along with a concept that is so original and so revolutionary that your immediate reaction is: ‘Those individuals should be on medication.’” Now, I have no knowledge regarding the mental or physical status of International Talk Like a Pirate Day’s founders, but I do know pirates* are a great way to inject some fun into your library programming.

Science in the Summer
Angela Hanshaw | July 20, 2010
I admit that, during my high school years, I only reinforced the stereotype that girls were no good at math and science. (In fact, saying I was “no good” is probably being too kind; my chemistry teacher would likely suggest “utterly hopeless at” as more accurate.) I can’t help but wonder what might have been, however, if I had had a Science in the Summer program at my library as a child.

New for July at EDSITEment
Shelley NiTuama | July 15, 2010
This month’s highlights: Don’t let the summer fly by without picking up a book from NEH’s Summertime Favorites—literary classics listed in appropriate grade categories; recharge yourself with To Kill a Mockingbird, published 50 years ago this summer; join others around the country in hosting a party to celebrate our “national novel”; and introduce timely lessons on senate confirmation hearings.

Featured Library: Henderson County Public Library
Katie Davis | July 13, 2010
The traveling exhibit “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation,” reexamines President Lincoln’s efforts toward the abolition of slavery during the Civil War, and will be available for viewing at the Henderson County (NC) Public Library beginning July 8. Celebrate the month of our nation’s independence with a visit to this compelling exhibit.

Q&A with Pat Chester, Traveling Exhibition Designer
Jennifer Dominiak | July 08, 2010
Graphic designer Patricia Chester creates stunning ALA traveling exhibitions. Read on and delve into Pat’s creative process—learn how she works with curators to create a “look” for each exhibit, discover why she loves her iBook, and understand how an ALA traveling exhibit takes shape before it arrives on your library doorstep.

What’s New in Programming Librarian
Angela Hanshaw | July 06, 2010
I’d like to thank everyone who attended the Programming Librarian demonstrations at the Public Programs Office booth and the “Are You a Programming Librarian?” program during the 2010 ALA Annual Conference. I really enjoyed introducing the site to programming librarians who weren’t familiar with it yet (but were happy to find out about it!) as well as receiving feedback from those who were. I was also happy to introduce some new features available on the site; here’s a quick recap in case you were unable to attend...