Do you know the Wilson Standard Catalogs? In the past, these selection tools have been in print with updates arriving yearly. But now, according to Shonda Brisco, “each catalog is available online making searching, sorting, and locating the best resources even easier.” They even have a Nonbooks Core Collection Materials database.
Author Alison McGhee’s first novel for young readers is a charming story about a precocious nine-year-old who makes papier-mâché masks and is crazy about her dog. But on a deeper level, the story tackles some of life’s grittiest challenges. SLJ talks to McGhee about Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing).
Did you plan to write such a serious story? Before I began writing Julia Gillian, I treated myself to rereading the Ramona books and I read a couple of the Betsy-Tacy books for the first time. They struck me as classic children’s books. They were never written from that perspective that I just despise, where an adult is really writing from an adult perspective and talking either about how cute children are or how funny and whimsical their lives are. I remember being a child very, very well, and life was serious business—the big questions of life were always with me from the earliest I can remember.read more...
There’s a lot more to MySpace and Facebook than meets the eye: teachers and librarians can use these and other social networking sites to boost students’ technology, literacy, and communication skills, says a new report.
“Young People and Social Networking Services” by the U.K.-based Internet safety organization Childnet International says there are potential “formal and informal” educational benefits for kids who use social networking services. read more...
Despite last-ditch efforts by library supporters, the Mesa Public School Board in Arizona voted this week to eliminate all teacher librarians over a three-year period.
As a result, one-third of the schools in Mesa will not have media specialists in the 2008–2009 school year. This includes Westwood High School, which has an International Baccalaureate program that involves students completing a difficult senior thesis that typically involves working with the school librarian, says Ann Dutton Ewbank, a librarian at Arizona State University and the key organizer of the Fund Our Future Arizona movement to save the district’s media specialists. read more...
Just about every culture and religion has its own version of the creation story. While some call it myth and others call it gospel, the questions about beginnings have seemingly unending answers. Interestingly, the basic Adam and Eve story recited in religious education classes and Sunday services is largely absent from children's creation-story literature.
COHEN, Deborah. The Seventh Day. illus. by Melanie Hall. Lerner/Kar-Ben. 2005. PLB $16.95. ISBN 978-0-929371-24-5; pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-1-58013-125-4 PreS-Gr 3— A lovely telling of the creation story from a Jewish viewpoint. read more...
Many folks know that Wyoming is home to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and have heard of the state's most famous historic citizen, “Buffalo Bill” Cody. But what many folks don’t know is that Wyoming is called the “Equality State” because there women were the first to vote, serve on juries, and hold public office. Another little-known fact is that the state is a treasure trove of dinosaur bones and fossils. This cool site, designed for elementary and middle school kids, has information on all these topics and more, as well as a fun online game, lots of PDF coloring pages, mazes, word games, and activities. Discover wonderful, wild Wyoming at your library! — Gail
Junion-Metz
San Diego County Library is looking for enthusiastic, energetic and innovative library professionals for the position of Principal Librarian. We currently have a vacancy in Adult Services; incumbents in this position use independent judgment and initiative in developing and coordinating library programs for services that meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve. read more...
To see all positions available through the SLJ Career Center, click here...
Author Alison McGhee’s first novel for young readers is a charming story about a precocious nine-year-old who makes papier-mâché masks and is crazy about her dog. But on a deeper level, the story tackles some of life’s grittiest challenges. SLJ talks to McGhee about Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing). 
