Magnet Boards Move In

by | Jan 16, 2012 | Keeping Up With Kids

I accidentally posted this at the YSS Events, News and Info. Blog (take a look for some great reading), but I meant to post it here!Menomonie Public Library’s children’s desk has an inviting new feature: a magnet board! Jodi Bird, children’s...

World Book Night

by | Jan 13, 2012 | Uncategorized

Thanks to former IFLS staffer Amy Alpine for sending me information about a tremendous outreach project! World Book Night is a collaborative effort of a group of publishing companies, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and others,...

Wisconsin Children’s Book Award Committee

by | Jan 9, 2012 | Keeping Up With Kids

Want to take part in making Wisconsin literary history? The Youth Service Section of the Wisconsin Library Association is looking for a person to serve a two-year term on the 2012 Children’s Book Award Committee. If selected, you will be one of seven individuals who...

Math Books for Preschoolers

by | Jan 5, 2012 | Keeping Up With Kids

In response to a query from a librarian, I looked for some of the newest, well-reviewed books that talk about math concepts for preschoolers. I had some fun digging through back issues of Starred Reviews and the CCBC Choices list to create the following list....

A Little Help?

by | Dec 29, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

Okay, folks, it has been a while since we had much coming from you for the blog!Help me keep this blog vibrant by sending in some things for me to post. You don’t have to make it look pretty or even take time to make sure it is written well, I’ll spiff it...

Take Your Child to the Library Day

by | Dec 15, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

Adapted from a posting to PUBYAC:A couple weeks ago, after hearing about Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day, Nadine, a children’s librarian from Connecticut, came up with the idea for a special Take Your Child to the Library Day, and chose the first Saturday in...

Child Poverty on the Rise

by | Dec 12, 2011 | Uncategorized

This probably not a big news bulletin to any of you, but it might be affecting the way people use the library and what sorts of things your community needs. According to the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, poverty rates for people 18 and...

Representing the Best of the Year

by | Dec 9, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

Here’s an extremely cool and practical use of Wordle by school librarian Gina Beirne on http://shslibrary.tumblr.com/. These are YA book titles that have turned up on various best-of-the-year lists–the larger the title, the more times it has appeared. What...

Play and Learn in Eau Claire

by | Dec 8, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

Terrific new early learning area in Eau Claire! Wow! This area has many small features that are reproducible for any library, and as a whole it is absolutely terrific!From Shelly, Youth Services Manager:”After many months of planning, we unveiled the Play and...

Story Kit Facelifts

by | Dec 5, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

Thanks to a few gentle suggestions from librarians who use story kits, I’ve been working on evaluating, weeding, updating them. There’s still a ways to go, but you’ll find some fresh books in:BirthdaysCats and MiceFeelingsTransportationVacationsI...

Useful Resource in the Making

by | Nov 9, 2011 | Keeping Up With Kids

You can help make a terrific resource for librarians, teachers, and others who work with children and books around the world! The International Federation of Library Associations’ IBBY committee sent out the following plea:We ask you to take a few minutes to...