Leah Langby | IFLS Library System

January 21 2022 IFLS Youth Services Updates

by Leah Langby | Jan 21, 2022 | Keeping Up With Kids

(also sent as an email to the IFLS youth services list) Performers PLEASE NOTE: Performer resources listed here are intended for IFLS librarians. We are in the process of updating the Youth Services website, but in the meantime, I wanted to share a few resources...

Early Literacy Requires Family Engagement

by Leah Langby | Jan 18, 2022 | Keeping Up With Kids

Last week I got a few reminders about the importance and delight of engaging with and supporting families with young children for a multitude of reasons, including that it is a great way promote early literacy practices and social-emotional learning and...

Resources for Serving Underserved Communities from ALSC

by Leah Langby | Jan 12, 2022 | Keeping Up With Kids

The Association for Library Service to Children’s Library Service to Underserved Children and Caregivers committee has created some practical toolkits, chock-full of resources for helping libraries serve everyone. Wow! Here’s a run-down of the current...

Help Promote Virtual, Free Parenting Conference from UW Madison Extension!

by Leah Langby | Dec 29, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

I got a note from the fabulous Yia Lor (UW Madison Extension–Eau Claire County) asking for help promoting a really awesome-sounding, free, virtual conference for parents, Raising Wisconsin’s Children. It is designed for parents and caregivers, and as such...

Additional Resources to Help Prepare for Challenges

by Leah Langby | Dec 21, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

Libraries and schools in the US (and that includes Wisconsin) are enduring a tremendous uptick in challenges to materials. Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, recently said that during her 20 years...

Monarchs!

by Leah Langby | Dec 6, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

One of my kids used to call monarchs “harmonicals” so that’s how I still think of them. At a recent youth services check-in, Lindsey from Augusta mentioned that she raised a bunch of monarch caterpillars and people of all ages were excited to help! ...

Helping Communities Respond to Tragedies When We are Sad Too

by Leah Langby | Dec 3, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

At a recent youth services check-in, someone mentioned that their small town had lost four people to COVID-related deaths in the past week, and two were pillars of the community. She mentioned that the whole town is muted and she is looking for ways to support the...

Challenged Books at Your Library webinar

by Leah Langby | Nov 30, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

What a timely webinar! Please take note of this awesome webinar being offered by NEWI and featuring Wisconsin experts and resources! Challenged Books at Your Library: Managing and Addressing Censorship Attempts (sponsored by NEWI) Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2021...

Celebrate Hmong New Year with Books

by Leah Langby | Nov 22, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

Yia Lor, the UW-Madison Eau Claire County Extension Human Development and Relationships Educator, reminded me that this is the time of year that Hmong New Year is celebrated. It’s a great time to look at your book collection and make sure you have books by and...

Getting Prepped for Challenges

by Leah Langby | Nov 19, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

A lot of folks in the library world live in dread of someone coming up to them with a a request (or demand) that a library material be removed from the collection. Even the thought of someone coming up with a question or concern about an item can be scary to...

StoryWalk(TM) Week Is Here!

by Leah Langby | Nov 16, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

A few weeks ago I posted about the StoryWalk(TM) Week sponsored by the Association for Outreach and Bookmobile Services and Let’s Move in Libraries. Nearly 500 libraries submitted stories! I hope some of you submitted yours! Even if you didn’t, check...

Check-In Follow-up: DISPLAYS!

by Leah Langby | Nov 4, 2021 | Keeping Up With Kids

At today’s check-in we discussed displays. Here are a few things that came up: Staff favorites are often a hit (have as many staff participate as possible, and be sure to include books for all ages, 0-adult). Themes can be fun—let yourself go wild. You can tell if a...