Industry News

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) revealed its inaugural Best Apps for Teaching and Learning list on Jun 30 at the American Library Association annual conference. Head of children's services at Darien Library, CT, Kiera Parrott highlights some of her favorites from the 25 winning apps that cover a broad range of subjects, inspire curriculum connections, and can be used for classroom instruction and public library programming.

With her aunt's wedding day fast approaching, 16-year-old Ann Gilardi is determined to lose '45 pounds.' In her effort to do so, she learns more about herself−and her family−than she expected. Author K. A. Barson talks about the genesis of the book.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Margaret A. Edwards Award, given by the Young Adult Library Services Association in honor of work that makes a “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.” The award, which is sponsored by SLJ, was presented Saturday to Tamora Pierce for her “Song of the Lioness” and “The Protector of the Small” series. As the featured speaker at the event, the feisty and mischievous Pierce did not disappoint.

Dressed in book-themed costumes and hats, hundreds of enthusiastic librarians gathered at the Sheraton Hotel in Chicago to honor the winners of the 2013 Caldecott, Newbery, and Wilder Awards, presented by the Association for Library Service to Children.

On June 24, the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City kicked off its first annual National Pajama Party Week with the book launch of Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late (Fiewel and Friends) by Laura Overdeck, author and founder of the Bedtime Math nonprofit, an organization whose mission is to make nightly the math problem as common as the bedtime story. The event included math focused games for families and a book giveaway and signing by the author.

Members of the Association of Library Service to Children celebrated 75 years of the Caldecott Medal this weekend with a welcoming reception Thursday evening honoring authors and illustrators, and a day-long preconference on Friday at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Teacher librarian Joyce Valenza reflects on the 2013 Best Websites for Teaching & Learning, the highly anticipated list chosen annually by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

Here in Chicago, AASL’s Best Websites for Teaching & Learning Committee just released its standards-aligned 2013 list. (Don’t miss AASL’s inaugural, Best Apps For Teaching and Learning list, also just released at ALA!) Sites and tools are selected  because they engage users through innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration. Honored websites, tools, and resources will provide exceptional value [...]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when you have easy access to amazing things the relative value you place upon those things diminishes significantly after a surprisingly short amount of time. Case in Point: When I worked across the street from the MOMA for several years it was apparently too difficult for me, even [...]