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OVERVIEW OF ALSC
What is ALSC?
• Organization committed to the support and enhancement of library service to children.
• ALSC members are innovators in the field of children's library service.
“I empower kids” ribbon to attach to conference name badge.
• Over 4,000 children's and youth librarians, children's literature experts, publishers, education and library school faculty members, and other adults dedicated to creating a better future for children through libraries.
Governed by a board of directors
2013-2014 Board of Directors
Member-driven organization• Much of ALSC’s work is completed by over 70
committees and task forces
Member-driven organization
A Group of Librarians in Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada, circa 1900© ALA accessed from ALA Archive: http://imagesearchnew.library.illinois.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ALA/id/31/rec/2
Ezra Jack Keats and ALSC members at the Newbery-Caldecott Banquet in 1963. © ALSC/ALA
2015-17 Strategic Plan
• Core Purpose– Creating a better future for children through libraries.
2015-17 Strategic Plan
• Core Values– Collaboration– Excellence– Inclusiveness– Innovation– Integrity and respect– Leadership– Responsiveness
Three goal areas• Advocacy
ALSC will promote the value of excellent library services to children and the communities that support them.
• EducationALSC will innovatively expand its educational opportunities for all library workers serving children.
• AccessALSC will empower its members to eliminate barriers to library services for children and the communities that support them.
• Every Child Ready to Read @ your Library® (ECRR)– supports early learning & literacy
• Dia de los ninos/Dia de los Libros (DIA)– Diversity and family literacy
• Read! Build! Play!– Supports science, technology, arts, engineering, and
math (STEAM)• Everyday Advocacy
– Grassroots effort to help our members find their voices and communicate the value of children, libraries, and the importance of literacy
ECRR• Parent education initiative that stresses early literacy begins
with the primary adults in a child's life. • Empowers public libraries to assume an essential role in
supporting early literacy within a community. • Incorporates five simple practices, based on research-
talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing- to help parents and other caregivers develop early literacy skills in children from birth to age five.
Children’s literacy area at Seattle Public Library
Children’s abc play wall at San Francisco Public Library
Children’s literacy area at Berkeley Public Library
Children’s entrance at Wixom Public Library
Día• Nationally recognized
initiative emphasizing the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds.
• Daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.
• Goals:– Celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning
through books, stories and libraries.– Nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor
and embrace a child’s home language and culture.– Introduce families to community resources that provide
opportunities for learning through multiple literacies.– Recognize and respect culture, heritage and language as
powerful tools for strengthening families and communities.
Diversity White Paper• Libraries play critical role in helping
children make cross-cultural connections and develop skills necessary to function in a culturally pluralistic society.
• Recommend including diversity in programming and materials for children as an important element in meeting the informational and recreational needs of their community.
Read! Build! Play!
• In 2012, ALSC and LEGO® DUPLO® teamed up to celebrate the “builders of tomorrow.”
• Read! Build! Play! stresses the
impact play can have as an integral part of early literacy.
• Parent guide and librarian toolkit created to bring reading-focused activities to children five and younger.
Junior Maker Spaces• Focus on creating areas to
make and create in local libraries for children ages 4-6.
• Created free digital toolkit with information and inspiration to host Junior Maker Sessions.
• 750+ libraries nationwide received a toolkit to host Junior Maker sessions in children’s reading areas. Each toolkit included over 10,000 LEGO® bricks, an inspirational poster, activity guide and insights from the Cultures of Creativity report.
• Participated in the 1st White House Maker Faire on June 18, 2014.
Everyday Advocacy• Grassroots effort, in the form of a website and
newsletter to help members find their voices and communicate the value of children, libraries, and the importance of literacy
• “Anytime you champion libraries and their power to transform people’s lives for the better, you are an advocate.” – Jenna Nemec-Loise, Everyday Advocacy editor.
Youth Media Awards Press Conference
Newbery-Caldecott Award Banquet
• Every year, more than $100,000 is given away through ALSC's professional awards, grants, and scholarships.
• Many of these are supported through an endowment or by ongoing support from a donor.
• ALSC Distinguished Service Award • Bookapalooza Program• Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant • Bechtel Fellowship • Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Visit Award • Light the Way: Library Outreach to the Underserved Grant• Penguin Young Readers Group Award • Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship • Frederic G. Melcher Scholarship• ALSC Spectrum Scholarship
Booklists for parents and children
Recommended websites for parents and children
Challenges
• Doing more with less resources– Power of partnerships
• E-books and other digital media– Access– Evaluation and recognizing quality• Adjusting for our book awards (small screens and art)
– Incorporating into programming and library service
– Parent education
The Future• Focus on diversity• Bridging the 30 million word gap• Exploration of new media, children and libraries• Continue advocating for library service to children• Strive to inspire and empower children to achieve
their very best and grow to become life-long readers & learners
Thank you.
• Contact information:Aimee StrittmatterExecutive DirectorAssociation for Library Service to Children50 East Huron StreetChicago, IL [email protected]
Resources• ALSC website: www.ala.org/alsc• ALSC Strategic Plan: http://www.ala.org/alsc/aboutalsc/stratplan• Every Child Ready to Read: http://www.everychildreadytoread.org/description-toolkit-materials and
http://everychildreadytoread.ning.com/• National Reading Panel Report: http://
www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/der/branches/cdbb/Pages/nationalreadingpanelpubs.aspx• ECRR Evaluation: http://
www.everychildreadytoread.org/project-history%09/executive-summary-2010-evaluation-every-child-ready-read-1st-edition
• Día: http://dia.ala.org/• Diversity White Paper: http://www.ala.org/alsc/importance-diversity• Importance of Play White Paper: http://www.ala.org/alsc/importance_of_play• Read, Build, Play! @ Home toolkit: http://readbuildplay.com/• Junior Maker Spaces Toolkit: http://www.ala.org/alsc/junior-maker-space• Cultures of Creativity Report:
http://www.legofoundation.com/en-us/research-and-learning/foundation-research/cultures-of-creativity/• Everyday Advocacy Website: http://www.ala.org/everyday-advocacy/• ALSC Book Awards and Announcements: http://www.ala.org/yma• Award Presentations: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia• ALSC Awards, Grants, and Scholarships: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants• ALSC Booklists: http://www.ala.org/alsc/booklists• ALSC Great Websites for Kids: http://gws.ala.org/• 30 Million Word Gap: http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/spring2003/TheEarlyCatastrophe.pdf and
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/06/25/empowering-our-children-bridging-word-gap
