Events

Hey guess what! April is not only Autism Awareness month, and National Poetry month. It’s also the best month ever… because it’s National School Library Month!

Created and hosted by the American Association of School Librarians, April is a celebration of school librarians and their programs. We encourage you to host activities to help your school and your local community understand the essential role that your library program plays in transforming learning for your students.

This year’s spokesperson is Dav Pilkey, and the theme is Everyone Belongs @ Your School Library.

Every Wendesday of this month, AASL is hosting webinars at 7:00 pm Eastern time:

The Power of Manga, Comics, & Graphic Novels through the Lens of the AASL Standards Frameworks for Learners
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | 6:00 p.m. Central

Addressing the Gatekeepers: How to Turn Comic and Graphic Novel Skeptics Into Believers
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 | 6:00 p.m. Central

Comics Librarianship: Essential Tools for the School Librarian
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | 6:00 p.m. Central

TBA
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | 6:00 p.m. Central

For more information about School Library Month, and this years events, go to the AASL School Library Advocacy page.

April is (among other things) National Poetry Month! Started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets (poets.org), National Poetry Month has become the largest literary celebration in the world. There are a myriad of ways to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of poetry in our culture:

• The Academy of American Poets hosts the “Dear Poet Project“, which invites students in middle through high school to write letters in response to poems.
• You can request a National Poetry Month poster and hang it in your library.
• You could sign up to receive a poem-a-day in your email.
• Build a creative book display (and if you do, please send us a photo to liesl_toates@boces.monroe.edu and tell us whether we are allowed to share it on our blog!)

Check out this list of 30 ways to celebrate national poetry month.

Tomorrow, March 26th, is Purple Day.

Purple Day is a grassroots effort to raise awareness about epilepsy worldwide. founded by a young girl in 2008, who struggled with epilepsy, Purple Day has grown into an international movement.

Find out more at www.purpleday.org

Registration is now open for the 2019 ALA Annual Conference. This year’s conference will be held in Washington, D.C. from June 20-25. A preliminary schedule of conference programs will be available in April 2019.

ALA Annual Conference registration includes:

• 500+ educational programs, discussions, and workshops on key topics
• World-renowned speakers and experts
• Pre-conferences for in-depth professional development
• Entrance to the exhibits where 800+ exhibitors at 1,500 stands highlight new and favorite products, titles, and services—one-stop shopping for everything your library needs
• The opportunity for you to present a paper or poster
• Meetings and events such as Opening and Closing General Sessions and ALA President’s Program
• Dozens of social and fun events
• Access to the International Visitor’s Center and Internet Café and WIFI—online access so you can stay in touch
• A free ticket to the popular International Librarians Reception (for full conference registrants)
• and more.

You can register online at: http://2019.alaannual.org/registration/register-now

The 90-Second Newbery Festival is coming to the Eisenhart Auditorium of the Rochester Museum & Science Center on March 17th. Yes, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s only about an hour, and it’s hosted by James Kennedy (author of The Order of Odd-Fish) and Bruce Coville (author of My Teacher is an Alien, Space Station Ice 3, and more).

It’s a really entertaining show, perfect for the whole family, and it’s FREE!

Register Now

The show starts at 2 pm. Hope to see you there!

The Youth Media Awards will be announced at ALA Midwinter on January 28th at 8:00 am Pacific Time (11:00 am Eastern). These include The Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards.

These awards are selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, and are recognized worldwide for the quality of writing and artwork they represent.

Fans can follow the 2019 results in real-time via a live webcast, sponsored by Baker and Taylor, or follow #alayma on social media.

Donalyn Miller is presenting TWO free sessions on May 28th at the Monroe County Central Library (Downtown). This is sponsored by Scholastic and done in collaboration with Monroe County Library System and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES School Library System

SESSION 1: Access to Books: Game Changer for Kids 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Children with meaningful access to books achieve at higher levels and experience greater engagement with reading. In this session, examine the current research on book access in schools, libraries, and homes; discuss intellectual and cultural access concerns including diversity and leveling; and explore resources and strategies for developing and sustaining high-quality classroom library collections that support students’ reading lives. Information based on Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids, published November 2018.

Target Audience: classroom teachers, librarians, K-12 reading specialists, administrators, literacy coaches

To Register: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?I=3020602&D=18636

SESSION 2: Invest in Children’s Reading Lives All Year 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

The institutional emphasis on standardized testing places students’ reading test scores in front of children’s reading lives. Extensive research proves that children with positive reading identities and the opportunity to read independently at school and home achieve at higher levels on reading tests. In this presentation, Donalyn Miller, describes the factors that engage children with reading both at school and home—ensuring both their academic success and their lifelong reading habits.

Target Audience: classroom teachers, librarians, K-12 reading specialists, administrators, literacy coaches

To Register: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?I=3020612&D=18636

To learn more about Donalyn Miller: https://bookwhisperer.com/