Practically Paradise

February 9, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Blanche Woolls wrote to members of the Geek Squad recently. Her post had such a powerful impact on me that I wanted to share it with you with her full permission. 

Here we are, a list of leaders, and what are we doing versus what should we be doing?

In the early 1960s (before most of you were born) Cora Paul Bomar in the N.C. State Department of Education and Mary Helen Mahar in Washington, D.C. gathered a group of activists and they gather statistics on the lack
of elementary school libraries and the lack of quality high school libraries in the U.S.

Somewhere along the way they got Remington Rand to publish a brochure about school libraries that was well
done as an advertisement and it got wide distribution.

The Knapp Foundation...Read More

February 9, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

I found this information on several school librarian listserv's but don't know who the original source was. I checked with the ALA-WO to be sure it wasn't private info and Emily Sheketoff responded: "This administration says it wants government to be transparent, so blog away" 

Having an articulate, positive school librarian presence on both the Wednesday and the Friday calls seems particularly crucial in light of the President's budget.  As important would be having the voices of principals
and superintendents who view the school library program as critical to their school or district.  

In an effort to provide ample opportunity for stakeholders to ask clarifying questions regarding the President's budget, the Departme...Read More

February 9, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Time slipped through my typing fingers and I forgot to remind you to visit The Brown Bookshelf during their 28 Days Later initiative to "celebrate some of the best under-the-radar and vanguard black children's books authors and illustrators." The 28 Days Later campaign kicked off with a spotlight on Marguerite Abouet. 

According to the Brown Bookshelf's About Us:
...Read More

February 7, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

I have been calling February 14th Book Lovers Day this year. Rather than wait for anyone to send me flowers or chocolate, I'll be surrounded by my friends THE BOOKS at the library and at the local bookstore in my community. 

It turns out that the Australian Library And Information Association  has been celebrating LIBRARY LOVERS DAY on February 14th. They have a website with ideas to help you plan activities to celebrate Australian libraries http://www.librarylovers.org.au/ Here is the main text from their si...Read More

February 1, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (7)

On January 12, 2010, the Association of Jewish Libraries (www.jewishlibraries.org/blog) announced the winner in the Younger Readers Category:  New Year at the Pier written by April Halprin Wayland and illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009.  Today we kick off the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour in Practically Paradise.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is...Read More