by Leah Langby | Jan 23, 2015 | Keeping Up With Kids
Sharon Grover from the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville passed on information about a fascinating article in the New Yorker magazine about Providence Talks, a project in Providence, Rhode Island that attempts to address the word gap (based on the Hart and Risley...
by Leah Langby | Jan 21, 2015 | Keeping Up With Kids
Silly protest signToday I was getting on my winter duds to take my morning dog walk, listening to Wisconsin Public Radio, when I heard something that made me jut my chin and Make Proclamations at my good-humored husband. This happens fairly often when I listen...
by Leah Langby | Jan 19, 2015 | Uncategorized
An eager participant in last year’s Science Fair at the Menomonie Public LibraryI came across a terrific post in the Show Me Librarian Blog about the Skokie Public Library’s new Boom Box Room–an area with interactive STEAM activities that rotate,...
by Leah Langby | Jan 13, 2015 | Keeping Up With Kids
Crayon displayThanks to Samantha Carpenter, the new youth services assistant at L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library for this cool and easy-to-replicate idea.The “Name Our Crayons” wall in Youth Services at LEPMPL went up in December in conjunction with...
by Leah Langby | Jan 12, 2015 | Keeping Up With Kids
Antler- and crown-making at the Fall Creek Library’s Frozen Sing-Along PartyI’ve been hearing about libraries having a lot of fun with Frozen Sing-Along programs. Then today I ran into a couple of Frozen-inspired activities in No Time for Flashcards...
by Leah Langby | Jan 7, 2015 | Keeping Up With Kids
I was chatting with my friend Kathie Schneider yesterday about how the Americans with Disabilities Act is now 25 years old. Kathie is a powerhouse advocate both for libraries and for people with disabilities. She pointed out that libraries, with our...
by Leah Langby | Jan 6, 2015 | Uncategorized
I came across a couple of interesting posts (So Tomorrow and Abby the Librarian) about creating reading goals to help make sure you can keep on top of readers advisory for the youngest patrons. I liked the idea of intentionally trying to read outside the age and...
by Leah Langby | Dec 30, 2014 | Keeping Up With Kids
Thanks to a nudge from the ALSC Blog, I found a fascinating discussion on the Storytime Underground site (no longer available) about libraries celebrating mainstream holidays, making libraries inclusive places for everyone, thinking about assumptions and privilege,...
by Leah Langby | Dec 23, 2014 | Uncategorized
The CLEL Bell Awards are a new national award designed to recognize picture books that provide excellent support of early literacy development in young children.On the shortlists are 25 titles: five books in each of five categories representing an early literacy...
by Leah Langby | Dec 19, 2014 | Keeping Up With Kids
As I’ve been delving into the early childhood world more and more in the past year, I have heard innumerable references to Fred Rogers. I grew up in the early years of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and have fond memories of watching his show as a...
by Leah Langby | Dec 17, 2014 | Uncategorized
Thanks to Jenna Gilles-Turner for the guest post!Boys readingI have been trying to help youth even when I am not in the library. I have come up with various ways to help kids find books on our shelves and with reader’s advisory. I’ve come up with some...
by Leah Langby | Dec 16, 2014 | Keeping Up With Kids
Superhero storytime at LEPMPLWe’ve been doing some sprucing up of services to preschoolers in our system during the past year or so, and as part of that I have added some useful resources to the IFLS website about storytime. Look there for suggestions of...