Book challenges continue to increase during 2023

Banned Books Week takes place in 2023 from Oct. 1 to 7, and the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has released preliminary data for challenges to books during 2023.

Flying Lessons and Other Stories (Meg Medina)

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 29, 2023 is “Sol Painting, Inc.” by Meg Medina, from Flying Lessons and Other Stories.

Creating a culture of reading among young people

The Library Science class I’m taking is talking this week about building a culture of readers. In her article for Knowledge Quest (2017, p. 24), Karen E. Smith asks: “How do we create a culture of readers without driving them away?”

Global Vision at UCM

During our SOLIS meeting of Sept. 19, we discussed Global Vision, a work-study travel program that “offers any UCM student the opportunity to travel either domestically or internationally while giving back to the community you visit.” Applications are being accepted through Oct. 15.

According to the Global Vision page on the UCM website, trips take place multiple times a year, to various locations: including annual visits to Tanzania.

If selected to go on a Global Vision trip, students will receive a scholarship that covers airfare, meals, room and board during this service learning trip.” From the Global Vision page: “This exclusive opportunity gives students who haven’t studied abroad the advantage to be selected first. UCM is the only university offering this scholarship to student travelers.”

Relevant link:
Global Vision at UCM
https://www.ucmo.edu/current-students/student-services/center-for-global-education/global-vision/

First-chapter Friday : Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 22, 2023 was Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman.

SOLIS’s upcoming book club on Oct. 10

SOLIS’s meeting on Sept. 19 touched upon its first book-club discussion that takes place on Oct. 10.

Beta Phi Mu chapter forming at UCM

One item of interest at our SOLIS meeting on Sept. 19, 2023, was news of a Beta Phi Mu chapter being established at the University of Central Missouri.

Beta Phi Mu is an honor society for librarians. Eligibility for membership is “by invitation of the faculty from institutions where the American Library Association, or other recognized accrediting agency approved by the Beta Phi Mu Executive Board, has accredited or recognized a professional degree program.”

T-shirt design for LIS at UCM

Mock-up for a T-shirt, Library Science at UCM

One of the areas of my schooling where I focus attention is on my graduate program’s student organization. UCM’s Student Organization of Library and Information Services, also known as SOLIS, held its latest members’ meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Classified Employee of the Month, September 2023

At its regular meeting on Sept. 13, the Santa Rosa School Board honored me as Classified Employee of the Month for September 2023.

First-chapter Friday : Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 15, 2023 was Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson.

John Newbery Medal

Among national awards for children’s literature, my studies this week included consideration of the John Newbery Medal. Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, the Newbery Medal recognizes the author “of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” (ALSC, n.d.) In 2022, ALSC commemorated 100 years of the Newbery Medal.

Children’s Literature Legacy Award

My studies this week are on national awards for quality children’s literature. Here are my thoughts about a name change, now five years ago, for the Children’s Literature Legacy Award.

First-chapter Friday : Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 8, 2023 is Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson.

Character education : Respect

SRCSA’s character-education focus for September 2023 is “Respect.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address the character trait of Respect.

Template to warn school boards about censorship attempts

“Most school boards are not paying attention to what is happening at other school boards across the country,” and this inattentiveness is allowing slow takeovers by groups “working to destroy public education across the country.” In the Sept. 1 edition of Literary Activism (a publication of Book Riot), writer Kelly Jensen offers a template to alert school boards to “bad” or “crisis actors” in their communities. Groups resisting censorship “have a tremendous opportunity” to give board members a “fair warning of what’s happening,” while getting their names into the public record to aid networking with like-minded individuals. https://literaryactivism.substack.com/p/how-to-alert-your-school-board-to

First-chapter Friday : The Lion of Mars, by Jennifer L. Holm

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 1, 2023 is The Lion of Mars, by Jennifer L. Holm.