It’s book award day! Celebration time!!! Join me and the ALA in celebrating some great books for our youthful readers!!!

I’ve copied in their press release, and note: it is a LOT of books, so take your time while you browse.

American Library Association announces
2023 Youth Media Award winners

NEW ORLEANS — The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 27-30, in New Orleans.

A list of all the 2023 award winners and honor selections follows:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: “Freewater,” written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, is the 2023 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: “Iveliz Explains It All,” written by Andrea Beatriz Arango and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; “The Last Mapmaker,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; and “Maizy Chen’s Last Chance,” written by Lisa Yee and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children: “Hot Dog,” illustrated and written by Doug Salati, is the 2023 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. 

Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “Ain’t Burned All the Bright,” illustrated by Jason Griffin, written by Jason Reynolds and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; “Berry Song,” illustrated and written by Michaela Goade and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.; “Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement,” illustrated by Janelle Washington, written by Angela Joy and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and “Knight Owl,” illustrated and written by Christopher Denise and published by Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.  

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.

“Freewater,” written by Amina Luqman-Dawson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.  

Three King Author Honor Books were selected: “Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler,” written by Ibi Zoboi and published by Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “The Talk,” written by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; and “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

“Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: “Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love,” illustrated by April Harrison, written by Michelle Edwards and published by Anne Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; “Swim Team,” illustrated and written by Johnnie Christmas and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: “We Deserve Monuments,” written by Jas Hammonds, is the Steptoe author award winner. The book is published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award: “Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement,” illustrated by Janelle Washington, is the Steptoe illustrator award winner. The book is written by Angela Joy and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:

Dr. Claudette McLinn is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Dr. McLinn is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). She is a retired district supervising librarian for the LA Unified School District with over 34 years of experience, a former bookseller and a much sought-after book award juror/presenter.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: “All My Rage,” written by Sabaa Tahir, is the 2023 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Scout’s Honor,” written by Lily Anderson and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group; “Icebreaker,” written by A.L. Graziadei and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group; “When the Angels Left the Old Country,” written by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and “Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality,” written by Eliot Schrefer and published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience: “Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion,” written by Shannon Stocker, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 8). One honor book for young children was selected: “In the Blue,” written and illustrated by Erin Hourigan and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

“Wildoak,” written by C.C. Harrington and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the winner for middle grades (ages 9 to 13). Two honor books for middle grades were selected: “Hummingbird,” written by Natalie Lloyd and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Honestly Elliott,” written by Gillian McDunn and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.

“The Words We Keep,” written by Erin Stewart and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House, is the winner for teens (ages 14-18). One honor book for teens was selected: “Breathe and Count Back from Ten,” written by Natalia Sylvester and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences: The 2023 Alex Award winners are: “A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting,” by Sophie Irwin, published by Pamela Dorman Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution,” by R. F. Kuang, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “Chef’s Kiss,” written by Jarrett Melendez, illustrated by Danica Brine, published by Oni Press, an imprint of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group; “Daughter of the Moon Goddess,” by Sue Lynn Tan, published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” by Jennette McCurdy, published by Simon & Schuster; “Solito: A Memoir,” by Javier Zamora, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House; “The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere.,” written and illustrated by James Spooner, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “The Kaiju Preservation Society,” by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group; “True Biz,” by Sara Nović, published by Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House; and “Wash Day Diaries,” written by Jamila Rowser, illustrated by Robyn Smith, published by Chronicle Books.

The ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture is an annual event featuring an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature. Author Rita Williams-Garcia will deliver the 2024 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. Williams-Garcia has written over a dozen books for children and teens and is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, three Coretta Scott King Author Awards, and a Newbery Honor Award.

Children’s Literature Legacy Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences. The 2023 winner is James E. Ransome. His award-winning works include “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop,” which won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award, 1994 and “The Creation,” recipient of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, 1995. In addition, Ransome has received the IBBY Honor Award for “The Creation,” and the NAACP Image Award for “Let My People Go.”

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: The 2023 winner is Jason Reynolds, whose books include: “Long Way Down,” “Ghost,” “All American Boys” and “When I Was the Greatest,” among other titles. 

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States: “Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II” is the 2023 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Italian as “Una bambina e basta. Raccontata agli altri bambini e basta,” the book was written by Lia Levi, illustrated by Jess Mason, translated by Sylvia Notini and published by HarperCollins Publishers. 

Three Honor Books also were selected: “Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War,” published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., written by Mónica Montañés, illustrated by Eva Sánchez Gómez and translated by Lawrence Schimel; “Dragonfly Eyes,” published by Candlewick Press, written by Cao Wenxuan and translated by Helen Wang; and “João by a Thread,” published by Elsewhere Editions, written and illustrated by Roger Mello and translated by Daniel Hahn.  

Odyssey Award for the best audiobooks produced for children and young adults, available in English in the United States: “Stuntboy, in the Meantime,” produced by Taryn Beato for Simon & Schuster Audio, is the 2023 Odyssey Award winner for children. The book is written by Jason Reynolds and narrated by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock and Angel Pean with a full cast. “The Honeys,” produced by Melissa Ellard for Scholastic Audio, is the 2023 Odyssey Award winner for young adults. The book is written by Ryan La Sala and narrated by Pete Cross.

Four Odyssey Honor Audiobooks were selected: “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” produced by Melissa Ellard and Paul Gagne for Weston Woods Studios and Scholastic Audio, retold and narrated by Mac Barnett; “Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel,” produced by Steve Wagner and Michelle Altman for Macmillan Young Listeners, an imprint of Macmillan Audio, written by Leigh Bardugo, adaptation by Garet Scott and narrated by Ben Barnes and a full cast; “Inheritance: A Visual Poem,” produced by Caitlin Garing for Quill Books, an imprint of HarperAudio, and written and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo; and “The First Helping (Lunch Lady Books 1 & 2),” produced by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Lauren Klein; Executive Producer Nick Martorelli for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, written Jarrett J. Krosoczka and narrated by Kate Flannery, the author and a full cast.

Pura Belpré Awards honoring Latinx writers and illustrators whose children’s and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience: 

“Where Wonder Grows,” illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, is the 2023 Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Award winner. The book was written by Xelena González and published by Cinco Puntos Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc.

Six Belpré Youth Illustration Honor Books were named: “The Coquíes Still Sing,” illustrated by Krystal Quiles, written by Karina Nicole González and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters,” illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; “Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land,” illustrated and written by Mirelle Ortega and published by Cameron Kids, an imprint of Cameron + Company, a division of ABRAMS; “Phenomenal AOC: The Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” illustrated by Loris Lora, written by Anika Aldamuy Denise and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “Srta. Quinces,” illustrated and written by Kat Fajardo, translated by Scholastic Inc. and published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Still Dreaming / Seguimos soñando,” illustrated by Magdalena Mora, written by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez, translated by Luis Humberto Crosthwaite and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc.

“Frizzy,” written by Claribel A. Ortega, is the 2023 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner. The book is illustrated by Rose Bousamra and published by First Second, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. 

Three Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books were named: “The Coquíes Still Sing,” written by Karina Nicole González, illustrated by Krystal Quiles and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border,” written by Stephen Briseño, illustrated by Magdalena Mora and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and “Tumble,” written by Celia C. Pérez and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

“Burn Down, Rise Up,” written by Vincent Tirado, is the 2023 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award winner. The book is published by Sourcebooks Fire, an imprint of Sourcebooks. 

Three Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Book were named: “Breathe and Count Back from Ten,” written by Natalia Sylvester and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “High Spirits,” written by Camille Gomera-Tavarez and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School,” written by Sonora Reyes and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children: “Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration,” written by Elizabeth Partridge and illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, is the 2023 Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Chronicle Books.

Four Sibert Honor Books were named: “Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement,” written by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “A Seed Grows,” written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House; “Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott,” written by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by Random House Studio, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and “The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs,” written by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience.

“Love, Violet,” written by Charlotte Sullivan Wild, illustrated by Charlene Chua and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, is the 2023 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s Literature Award.

Four Honor Books for children’s literature were selected: “In the Key of Us,” written by Mariama J. Lockington and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; “Kapaemahu,” written by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “The Real Riley Mayes,” written and illustrated by Rachel Elliott and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, and HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Strong,” written by Rob Kearney & Eric Rosswood, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.  

“When the Angels Left the Old Country,” written by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido, is the 2023 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Young Adult Literature Award.

Four Honor Books for Young Adult Literature were selected: “I Kissed Shara Wheeler,” written by Casey McQuiston and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group; “Kings of B’more,” written by R. Eric Thomas and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “Man o’ War,” written by Cory McCarthy and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House; and “The Summer of Bitter and Sweet,” written by Jen Ferguson (Métis/white) and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book: “I Did It!,” written and illustrated by Michael Emberley, is the 2023 Geisel Award winner. The book is published by Holiday House.

Four Geisel Honor Books were named: “Fish and Wave,” written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier and published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “Gigi and Ojiji,” written and illustrated by Melissa Iwai and published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “Owl and Penguin,” written and illustrated by Vikram Madan and published by Holiday House; and “A Seed Grows,” written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House.

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens:

“The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen,” written by Isaac Blum, is the 2023 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House. 

Four other books were finalists for the award: “The Summer of Bitter and Sweet,” written by Jen Ferguson (Métis/white) and published by Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books; “Wake the Bones,” written by Elizabeth Kilcoyne and published by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group at Macmillan; “The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School,” written by Sonora Reyes and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Hell Followed with Us,” written by Andrew Joseph White and published by Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company.

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: “Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice,” written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, is the 2023 Excellence winner. The book is illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company. 

Four other books were finalists for the award:  “Abuela, Don’t Forget Me,” written by Rex Ogle and published by Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company; “American Murderer: The Parasite that Haunted the South,” written by Gail Jarrow and published by Calkins Creek; “A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome,” written by Ariel Henley and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, a division of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and “Unequal: A Story of America,” written by Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Favreau and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.  The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature. The award is administered by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association.  This year’s winners include:

The Picture Book winner is “From the Tops of the Trees,” written by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Rachel Wada and published by Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. The committee selected one Picture Book honor title: “Nana, Nenek & Nina” written and illustrated by Liza Ferneyhough and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House.

The Children’s Literature winner is “Maizy Chen’s Last Chance,” written by Lisa Yee and published by Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one Children’s Literature honor title: “Troublemaker,” written by John Cho, with Sarah Suk and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The Youth Literature winner is “Himawari House,” written and illustrated by Harmony Becker and published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan. The committee selected one Youth Literature honor title: “The Silence that Binds Us,” written by Joanna Ho and published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries since 1968, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. This year’s Gold Medalists include: Picture Book winner: “The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs,” by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; Middle Grade winner: “Aviva vs. the Dybbuk,” by Mari Lowe and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; and Young Adult winner: “When the Angels Left the Old Country,” by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido. 

Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medalists include: Picture Book honors: “Big Dreams, Small Fish,” written and illustrated by Paula Cohen and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; “The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda,” by Shoshana Nambi, illustrated by Moran Yogev and published by Kalaniot Books, an imprint of Endless Mountains Publishing Company; and “Sitting Shiva,” by Erin Silver, illustrated by Michelle Theodore and published by Orca Book Publishers; Middle Grade honors: “Honey and Me,” by Meira Drazin and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; “Black Bird, Blue Road,” by Sofiya Pasternack and published by Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Ellen Outside the Lines,” by A. J. Sass and published by Little, Brown and Company, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.; and Young Adult honors: “My Fine Fellow: A Delicious Entanglement,” by Jennieke Cohen and published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; “Some Kind of Hate,” by Sarah Darer Littman and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Eight Nights of Flirting,” by Hannah Reynolds and published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. 

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other children’s experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

We are sharing the latest meeting for anyone in a school library/media center, from our colleagues at Metronet!

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE Librarians, media specialists, paraprofessionals–if you work in a school library, this group is for you. This was founded for charter school librarians, but we welcome anyone in a small district, solo schools, districts with little or no media specialists, and more. While we are hosted by librarians in the Twin Cities, any school librarian (or whatever your title) across Minnesota is welcome. This is a networking group created to provide support and encouragement to those working in school libraries. Come to one or all of our sessions and let’s work together to build connections and foster strong school libraries!

MONTHLY OPPORTUNITY The group will meet the first Thursday of every month during the school year, at 7:30pm. You can register below.  February 2 – library procedures (March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1; These are the future dates, topics TBD) REGISTER

BCLG This group was founded by Lynn Delesha, media specialist at Twin Cities Academy. The group is supported by Metronet, the Twin Cities multicounty, multitype library system.

It’s a tough time for libraries, and people in customer service. And while we don’t want to veer into any toxic positivity, it is good to spend a little time focused on building your happiness level. We are not going to solve people’s serious mental issues here. But bringing some happiness skills to your week can be helpful to everyone!

Mondays can be a little hard, even when things are going fine. Use this small injection of a happiness skill to your week. We are here to support you, and to help you to be a little happier in the library.

While we can’t promise to make your life happier in all ways, taking time to have small snacks of joy in a day can help to keep your happiness levels on a nice level for yourself.

Here is a joy from the article Want to feel happier? Try snacking on joy.

“It is also important not to fall prey to what some psychologists have called “killjoy thinking,” which actively inhibits enjoyment by neutralizing positive moods. For example, watching a beautiful sunset with a loved one but only focusing on how cold it is about to get is tantamount to stealing a joy snack right out of your own mouth.

That cup of coffee. The cuddliness of your pet. A joke whose punchline hits just right.

Focusing on the sensations and emotions you feel in these moments can make the joy snack all the richer.

It can take practice to get better at identifying and appreciating these experiences, but“once you learn to slow down and pay attention to those things, put more weight on those things, your life feels more fulfilled and more meaningful,” Hicks said.

Nature is one powerful source of joy snacks that many people can nosh on, in part because of its power of inducing awe.

Hicks and his colleagues found that just having participants watch the two-minute opener to the nature documentary “Planet Earth” produced appreciation for the experience and, in turn, a greater sense of meaning.

“Nature is all around us, but it’s very easy to ignore it and downplay it,” Hicks said.

Sometimes taking a walk in the park and smelling the roses — by yourself or with others — is simply all you need to do to find some everyday joy.”

You can read the whole article here.

CMLE can be part of your support network; we are here for you, and support you in your library work. Take a nice deep breath in, and whoosh it out; it’s going to be okay today.

It is not news at all – there is a lunatic fringe group of people who are spreading their hate and fear of other humans across the country – and trying to ban books. Instead of making a choice to not read a book and moving on with their lives – which is perfectly fine; these idiots are taking books away from ALL OF US!

This is beyond pathetic. Boards of all types of libraries need to stand up for their communities, and tell these few foolish little people to settle down and knock it off. Don’t let this happen to our libraries! Good grief – it’s okay to just say no when people want you to do ridiculous things. Remember: just because a few people say ignorant things does not make it true – and does not mean anyone else needs to listen!

This is an article excerpt from Teen Vogue, interviewing the President of the American Library Association. You can read the whole thing here!

“Public libraries are crucial spaces for learning and community building. They’re also experiencing unprecedented attacks. According to recent data from the Unite Against Book Bans campaign, there were 781 attempts to ban or restrict books and 1,835 individual titles challenged from January 1 through October 31, 2022. This is a huge jump from 2019 when there were 377 challenges. A large number of the books in question deal with issues of race, gender, sexuality, and identity, or are written by marginalized authors.

Book bans are only one of the issues that public libraries are currently facing. In Tennessee, lawmakers want to force librarians to list all the materials they offer and to conduct periodic reviews to make sure the materials are “age-appropriate,” a measure many librarians told Chalkbeat is unnecessary and beyond the scope of their job. Across the country, several librarians have been attacked or doxxed for standing up for books that are deemed controversial or worthy of being banned.

The American Library Association (ALA), the oldest and largest library association in the world, is a nonprofit that promotes libraries and public education across the United States. Teen Vogue spoke with the organization’s president, Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, about the consequences of book bans, the importance of public libraries as community spaces, and how the ALA is fighting back against censorship across the country. 

Teen Vogue: What particular challenges has the ALA been facing in the past few years?

Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada: We are seeing unprecedented levels of book banning right now. There is this small minority of people who want to ban books and they’re not suggesting individual titles, they’re coming in with huge lists of books that for the most part they haven’t even read. They are trying to silence diverse voices and ideas and using public libraries as a pawn in this fight. 

Another one of the biggest challenges we’re facing in the library profession is a lack of funding and a lack of institutional support for both libraries as institutions and library workers to be paid fair wages. To be a librarian you have to have a master’s of library and information science and the starting pay does not always equate to a master’s-level salary. This is also related to the defunding of education in general. 

TV: What is the process of a book getting banned from a public library? Who ultimately makes the decision and how is the library involved?

L P-L: It varies. At my public library [in California], for instance, the process is that if someone doesn’t want a certain book to be at the library, they will have a conversation with either the adult or children’s services manager, depending on what department the book is from. After that, the department manager will explain to them why we bought the book and who it might serve. If they still want to do a formal challenge then they’ll fill out a form. Then a subcommittee of staff is formed to read the book and review the complaint to see if it has merit. And then a response is given. At some libraries, the committee that is formed to review the book is made up of both community members and staff. 

WATCHCharlie Coleman Talks About Rape Culture and His Sister Daisy’s Sexual Assault

But we are also in an interesting time right now where there are these really high-profile people, like governors or congresspeople, who want to use a book ban as part of their political platform. For example, there was recently a lawmaker in Texas who wanted to [potentially] ban more than 800 books from libraries and the curriculum throughout the state. The way governors and politicians get around the formal processes is through legislative acts.  

TV: What are the consequences of book bans on different demographics who rely on the library?

L P-L: The main consequence is that our students, our children, our patrons, and adults don’t have access to certain ideas, or to ideologies that will help them create more empathy and understanding for one another even if we don’t come from similar backgrounds. 

There are consequences for library workers as well, as we’re seeing mounting legislation against us. There is a bill in the state of Oklahoma that says a library worker can be fined merely for providing access to information on abortion. Librarians are being doxxed and many of them are facing harassment that they are too afraid to speak out about and report. “

You can read this whole article here!

This season we are talking about library programs – giving you some ideas about different ideas you can try in your own library. It is always good to share ideas across libraries, and we are all better! Each week we will look at a different theme of programs.

Check out our show notes page here, with links to all the libraries and ideas we are sharing.

This week we are looking at Technology programs! You might incorporate some of these into the programs we talked about a couple of weeks ago, with crafting and making. There are a variety of different kinds of technology you might want to use or to create here; and your budget can be either pretty small or extravagantly large. These tend to be programs that need some advance planning, but can be really popular when they work out!

A few ideas:

• Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon
• Photo editing in the library
• Robots in the library