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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Teacher-Librarians

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: Teacher-Librarians

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Here's a MEGALIST for my fellow media specialists/teacher-librarians. It's taken a while to gather all the information and I will continue to add to this page. Currently there are close to 185 sites listed. There is SO MUCH information out there! Please feel free to add your suggestions!-

LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER MANAGEMENT

Library Media Center Management- covers policy manuals, management, patrons with disabilities, volunteers, ideas for new school librarians, library promotion and advocacy; long list

Bibomatic- for books only; enter the ISBN number of a book for the citation

CiteBite- link directly to specific quotes on web pages

CiteFast- covers MLA, APA, Chicago and newspaper, magazine, web site, journal, book

EasyBib*- also now has an iPhone app where you can scan the ISBN number on a book

GoBiblio- free bibliography and citation generator

KnightCite- enter the information in the blank fields and your citation is generated; covers MLA, APA, Chicago

OttoBib- for books only; enter the ISBN number of a book for the citation

BOOK REPAIR

I don't know about you; when I earned my certification as a media specialist, I had never been required to take a course in book repair. My colleague Nancy just received an MLS from Rutgers University ( well known for their library sciences program) and she also never learned how to deal with damaged books. How is this possible? Can't figure that one out. But, if you can't attend a training workshop locally, you can always benefit from those who have posted videos and information online. ( When I first started my job, the Internet was just a little baby....)

CARTOONS FOR THE TEACHER-LIBRARIAN

Creaza- suite of creative tools, including cartoonist, movie editor, audio editor and mindmaps

DigiTales- create 3-5 minute stories from these types: living memories, beyond words, itza wrap

Do Ink- create Flash-style animations using a "simple and friendly vector editor

Domo Animate- free animation website offers characters with dialogue, backdrops and special effects

Glogster- drag and drop text, images, audio, video drawings and more; premium edition has no ads

Kerpoof- make movies, cards, drawings,pictures, tell stories; for grades K-8; site also has lesson plans and teacher tools.

Lightning Bug -assists students in writing a story from finding an idea to finishing the story

PicLits- students are given a picture with a list of keywords to inspire them to write a story about that picture

Pinball- helps students get started with ideas which are bounced around

Shiddoni- create an imaginary world with animals

Smilebox- mix photos, videos and music into a multimedia presentation

Storybird- "short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read and print

ThumbScribes- online collaboration of poems, short stories, fiction, novellas

Xtranormal-create online movies using their characters who speak what you write for them; free service will cost $$ soon.

Mr. B's Library Skills TV- for grades K-6; videos cover plagiarism, evaluating information, maps, the Dewey Decimal System and more

Ode to Librarians- use this video to introduce your students to the library

CAM SCANNER- your phone becomes a scanner!

CURATOR-collect and organize your stuff

DRAGON DICTATION- just speak and see your text or email messages

Types of Plagiarism- lists six types of plagiarists and five sources cited by still plagiarized types of people

What is Plagiarism?- a video from Rutgers University; explains the seriousness of plagiarism; excellent!!

WriteCheck- submit your paper to see if you plagiarized anything; $$

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Here's a MEGALIST for my fellow media specialists/teacher-librarians. It's taken a while to gather all the information and I will continue to add to this page. Currently there are close to 185 sites listed. There is SO MUCH information out there!

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Jennifer LaGarde

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The True Adventures of a High School Librarian

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The True Adventures of a High School Librarian

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Nikki Robertson

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The Incredibly True Adventures of an EdTech Trailblazer

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Nikki is a veteran educator, retired Librarian/Instructional Technology Facilitator and ISTE Librarians Network Past President. Nikki is passionate about 1:1 Digital Initiatives, collaboration with other education professionals, and assisting students in becoming well informed, critically thinking digital citizens.

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You've got questions, we've got answers! This week we need YOUR help....

Question: What are your favorite (newish) anime titles available on DVD and appropriate for grades 6-12?

If you have a question about anything teen services related ask it here! Your question will be featured on the blog with answers from our agent volunteers or TSU team members. If you'd like to be a volunteer agent, please submit your info here.

Sometimes I just want to keep things low-tech with my programming for teens. I've talked before about ready-made craft programs in Maker Kits. Today I have some quick ideas for low-tech gaming (with minimal set up and generally quick game play) if you want to do an "unplugged" game program.

Card Games: It's pretty old school but I like having some standard decks of playing cards on hand for game programs. You can also have a book of solitaire games (and shock everyone when you reveal that yes, we used to play with real cards!) and books with basic card games (there's The Card Game Bible and Hoyle's Modern Encyclopedia of Card Games if you're looking for where to start). There are also novelty decks for specific games like Old Maid or Crazy Eights and more. You can also explain card counting with Black Jack. Then, of course, there's the classic: Uno. If none of the games appeal, you can always have everyone try to build card houses.

1,000 Blank White Cards: This game is about as low tech as it gets. All you need to start are some pens and note cards. Players make the deck as they go so teens can create cards in addition to some you made ahead of time (maybe with help from volunteers). The game can take any form depending on what cards are created. Most involve some kind of point value, an action, and an illustration. Want to know more before you get started? There's a wiki for that.

Charades: I am on a crusade to make sure teens know how to play charades and let me tell you it's been uphill at my library. Charades has players draw a word/phrase of some kind and pantomime the action or words within to get others to guess the answer. It can be played either individually or in teams. I suggest using a word generator or other strategy to create prompts ahead of time because when I had teens write them up it devolved into a lot of obscure video game characters. You may also have to explain the concept with some examples. I had prompts in one game for "Little Women" and "The Hunger Games" and teens tried to act out the entire story instead of just the title.

Codenames: This game has a couple of version. I've been using the Codenames Pictures version. The game can work with 2-8 players (or more in teams) so it's great for larger groups as well. Codenames is a cross between "Guess Who?" and "Battleship" with Spymaster players who lay out the board and know the location of their own spies on the board. Spymasters then use clues based on picture tiles in the game to reveal those locations to the rest of their team (example: "1, game" would tell the other players to look for the one tile on the board that refers to a game, possibly a dice or a billiard ball) to uncover the spies. Whoever collects all of their spies off the board first wins.

Coup: Easily one of my favorite games, Coup is a bluffing game where players compete to wield the most influence and win the game. The game includes a deck of cards, coins, and some how-to/role cards and works with 2 to 6 players (or more if you do teams. I think of this game as extreme "Go Fish." Every player starts with two hidden cards which can take on various roles. Players then have to take actions to draw currency and gather enough money to either assassinate the competition or unseat them in a coup (forcing them to reveal a card). Whoever ends the game with more influence (one or two cards still hidden) wins. I love it for programs because it can be as easy or as hard as teens want to make it.

Dominoes: Dominoes is about as basic as it gets for low-tech games. There are a variety of ways to play but essentially you are matching pips (dots) to remove them from your hand of dominoes. Winning can either be done by using all dominoes in your hand or by determining points at the end of the game depending on what works for your crowd. Dominoes come in a range of sets including Double 6 (the highest domino has 6 pips on each side) up to double 18. I would suggest going with at least a double 12 set if you are playing with teens to make the game more complex. Having a larger set also means there will also be more dominoes to play so it will work better for larger groups. There is also a variant called Squaremino if you're into that.

Grifters: This game is a from the people behind Coup but a bit more complicated. In this deck building game, players are all in charge of a group of criminals with various skills in brain, speed, or brawn. Players build their deck of grifters to complete different jobs and earn coins. Whoever has earned the most after all jobs are completed wins. Grifters works for 2-4 players (or teams therein) and it's a bit more complicated so play runs longer but if you have the time it's a blast.

Jenga: Does this need any explanation? Probably not.

Mafia: I only heard about this game while searching for information to put in this post. It sounds a little complicated at first but I think with the right group of teens it could be a lot of fun. It seems like it could be a good ongoing game for a program with regular attendance like an advisory group or some kind of club.

Sushi Go: This pick and pass game works for 2 to 5 players and involves building various sets of sushi. Go Fish but with fish that you eat.

Who Wins?: You might have seen this book on YALSA's 2017 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list. Who Wins? is an interactive book that pits various historical figures ranging from Nicola Tesla to Harriet Tubman in head-to-head competitions in everything from The Hunger Games to ping pong. If you act as moderator and raise questions about the various merits of each figure ("Would George Washington's wealth-rated 10/10-be any help to catch Jack the Ripper?") it can lead to some interesting discussions. Teens also had a great time setting up various competitions. I brought this along with several other games to a program but the book kept everyone occupied for the entire hour.

Yahtzee or Dice: Yahtzee is a counting game but instead of cards you're working with dice to build various sequences. You can buy a kit or just get some dice and make your own scoring. You can also up the stakes with double dice.

Now you know some of my favorite "unplugged" games to use with teens. Do you know of any other games I might have missed or have anything else to recommend? Let me know in the comments.

Genres: Diversity, Non-fiction, Realistic

April was Autism Awareness Month. Even though it's May, there's no reason why we can't highlight books written by (#ownvoices) and about characters with autism and other spectrum disorders. Here's a sampling of some titles for a range of YA readers.
Younger YA/Middle School
Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Jason Blake, an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world, finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does. Jason can be himself when he writes and he thinks that PhoneixBird-her name is Rebecca-could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to met her, he's terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca will only see his autism and not who Jason really is. Winner of the 2010 Schneider Family Book Award.

Rogue by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Kiara has Asperger's syndrome, and find it hard to make friends. Feeling misunderstood, she turns to "Mr. Internet" for answers and looks to her hero, Rogue from the X-Men, as a role model. When a new boy moves in across the street, Kiara hopes that, for once, she'll be able to make friendship stick. When she learns his secret, she's so determined to keep Chad as a friend that she agrees not to tell. But being a true friend is more complicated than Mr. Internet could ever explain, and it might be just the thing that leads Kiara to find her own special power. Like Kiara, Miller-Lachmann has Asperger's Syndrome.

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

When Temple Grandin was born, her parents knew she was different. Years later she was diagnosed with autism. Temple's doctor recommended institutionalizing her, but her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead. Today, Dr. Temple Grandin, a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University, is an autism advocate and her world-changing career revolutionized the livestock industry. This compelling biography and Temple's personal photos take us inside her extraordinary mind and open the door to a broader understanding of autism.

Mindblind by Jennifer Roy

Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark lives in two worlds-the outside world of his family and friends and his own, special, inside Aspie world, where he's not forced to interact with people or worry about wearing his clothes right-side out. Nathaniel read that true geniuses must make a contribution to the world, and he sets out to do just that. Nathan's character was inspired by Roy's own autistic son.
High School/Older YA
Wild Orchid by Beverly Brenna

Eighteen-year-old Taylor Jane Simon, sheltered most of her life because of an autistic condition, sees new possibilities opening up for her when she goes to spend the summer in Prince Albert National Park where her mother has taken a job working in a pizza restaurant. (The third book in the Taylor Jane Simon trilogy, White Bicycle, was a 2013 Michael L. Printz Honor book.

Episodes: Scenes From Life, Love, and Autism (hardcover edition titled Episodes: My Life As I See It) by Blaze Ginsburg

Blaze Ginsberg offers a unique perspective on his life as a highly functioning autistic twenty-one-year-old. Inspired by the format of the Internet Movie Database, Blaze organizes his life events as a collection of episodes. Some episodes are still running, some are in syndication, and some have sadly come to an end. With an innovative style and approach that is all its own, Episodes reinvents the traditional memoir; and it will inspire young readers to see the world as they've never seen it before.

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller

Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions. When a gun is found in the school cafeteria, Colin decides It's up to him to prove that the school bully is innocent and solve the case, Sherlock Holmes-style.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Marcelo Sandoval hears music that nobody else can hear - part of an autism-like condition that no doctor has been able to identify. But his father has never fully believed in the music or Marcelo's differences, and he challenges Marcelo to work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer . . . to join "the real world." There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm. He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it's a picture he finds in a file a picture of a girl with half a face that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.

One of the things I love most about working in a library is connecting people with just the right book. After school is finished for the day, I can often be found wandering through the stacks with a bewildered teen or tween, stacking books in their arms and saying, "I know you'll like this one." I also enjoy giving book talks when I have a captive audience, so my teen advisory board has heard my spiel more than once, and every class that comes through for a tour gets a few book talks thrown in for good measure.

However, I can't be there every time someone needs a new book, and sometimes people want to be left to discover things on their own. This is where passive readers advisory comes in. There are ways for me to promote books within the library without having to stand next to the shelves waiting for an unsuspecting patron to pounce upon. These are some of my favorite passive readers advisory tools:

Displays
Displays are an obvious way to do readers advisory. I have pretty limited space in my current library, though, so sometimes my display features just a few books on a common theme or with a common "look" to them. I do make sure to rotate the types of displays I do, though, and to include genres or authors I don't typically read myself. In those cases, I read up online or enlist the help of my teens or another staff member to make the best display.

Bookmarks
Bookmarks are another great way to make a display. I will take brightly colored cardstock and list a few recommended read-alikes to a particular book, then place the bookmark in the book so that the top is clearly visible. I have observed some of my patrons veering directly toward books containing these bookmarks.

Sticky Notes
Sticky notes are a great way to call attention to books that are displayed face-out. I noticed that very few of my teen patrons did anything with the books I had carefully displayed. When I added a brightly colored sticky note to the front of the book with a short teaser, these books started flying off the shelves.

QR Codes
This type of RA will depend on your patron base. I have created on-shelf QR codes that lead to a list saved in our catalog. The code paper is about the size of a business card and will say something like, "Do you love reading about Percy Jackson's adventures? Try some of these books!" and the code will lead to a list of mythology read-alikes. I like this option for people who access the library's catalog on their phones or for those who like to make lists of books to put on hold.

Table Tents
These are very similar to the "staff recommends" signs often seen in book stores. I have some small signs that say "We recommend [title of book] because" with room for a short description. These are folded to form a tent shape and set in front of our face-out displays. Like the sticky notes, this type of RA requires semi-regular maintenance, but it also allows various members of my staff to shine and show off the types of books they enjoy reading as well.

For all of these varieties of readers advisory, it would be easy to include staff members or teens in the creation and maintenance of the displays. I am a strong proponent of delegating tasks and giving teens ownership over their area in the library; this is a great way to get them involved in some of the day to day tasks that help keep the library looking welcoming and inviting.

What are some things you do in your library to provide readers advisory even when you're not there to do it in person? Let us know in the comments!

Even before Hidden Figures hit the big screen and became a (unsurprising) smash hit, there has been a recent slew of great nonfiction books about women in science. Although not all of these are particularly aimed at teens, they will resonate and are very readable.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

As we all know, Hidden Figures is an amazing story of black women mathematicians who overcame so much to do much of the math - and create a lot of the math! - to help send the earliest American astronauts into space. Not to mention learning the earliest computer languages and programming. It's an inspiring and amazing book that should be a must read for everyone (or at least watch the movie!).
Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition
Obviously the same story as the adult one, this one has been trimmed down make it more accessible to a middle school and early high school audience. I haven't read this version, but can't possibly believe it would be bad! My local middle school is using it as one of the required reading options this summer and I'm thrilled!

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Wh o Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

This is a great book that has amazing illustrations. Each page introduces a new woman from science - most historical figures - who made amazing discoveries and changed the science world in some way. It points out that many were overlooked in favor of male colleagues when it came to international and national awards. Yet the world is a very different place for these. This book is particularly accessible because each woman's history is broken down into a page of narrative plus a variety of extra interesting facts. It's physically a gorgeous book and very appealing. It also reads quickly.

Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia Holt

This was my introduction into this 'theme' of amazing women in science that no one knows about and it totally captivated me. Taking place at the same time as Hidden Figures historically, it tells the story of more human computers (many white but some black as well) who worked on the NASA program but based out of California and what that program managed to accomplish alongside the program chronicled in Hidden Figures. Like Hidden Figures, it follows the women and their lives as they work to prove they are just as good as men at what they do (and in many cases, better!). Having read this when I saw the first trailer for Hidden Figures, I legit squealed at the fact we were getting awesome women scientists on the big screen!

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan

This story meanders a bit and could probably stand to be a little shorter BUT it still gives an awesome overview and look into something most people know nothing about. It tells the story of Oak Ridge, TN which was created by the government specifically for the intent of figuring out how to make the atomic bomb. Thousands of people went to work there with very little knowledge of what was going on including many young women. It tells of a fascinating period of history that has been shrouded in mystery ever since the experiment started.
Books that include women scientists and also other awesome women:
Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History by Kate Schatz

This is set up similarly to Women in Science in that it briefly covers a lot of women. Each double page spread is a picture of the woman and a page (and sometimes a bit more) about them. These books do not just cover women from science but also a variety of other amazing women, most of whom were overlooked during their lifetimes. Many of them readers might have heard of but there are also plenty they might be unfamiliar with. A great fast read that might lead to more interest in particular women.

Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History ... and Our Future! by Kate Schatz

Very similar to the previous book (even written by the same woman), but specifically focusing on American women. Another great introduction to many amazing women.
Books I have heard great things about but have not yet had a chance to read:
So I'm including these because they're all on suspended holds for me at my library, I just haven't had time to read them yet, but I suspect they'll be awesome. I've gotten the recommendations on good authority.

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore

This one just came out last month and looks fascinating. Although the women focused on in this one are not necessarily scientists, their story deals directly with the discovery of Radium by the Curies. Hundreds of women work with radium everyday, literally shining from its effects. And then they all start to fall ill. The main part of the story is the fallout from this and the development of more workers' rights in response.

Rocket Girl: The Story of Mary Sherman Morgan, America's First Female Rocket Scientist by George D. Morgan

Told by her son, it tells the story of Mary Sherman Morgan, and the building of rockets. Taking place in a similar time span as Hidden Figures and Rise of the Rocket Girls, this one seems to focus on one particular woman and her story that parallels the others, helping get Americans into space.

The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars by Dana Sobel

Taking place before many of the others, this one chronicles the women who went from being human computers to interpret what their male counterparts find to actually studying the information and making their own discoveries. Using many primary source materials, it tells a fascinating story of women who made so many amazing and unsung discoveries relating to astronomy

What other women in science books would you recommend? Especially outside my favorite of astronomy and space.

You've got questions, we've got answers! Our volunteer Agents are on the job! Here's what they have to say this week....

Question: We're about to open up a Central Library in a large city and our Teen Space will have an extensive video gaming area (which I've been put in charge of ordering equipment and games for). Unfortunately, our desk (for the time being) will not be within eyesight of the gaming area. To add to the difficulties, there will be an exit/entrance right next to the gaming area. All of that said, how do all of you ensure your gaming accessories (consoles, controllers, games, etc.) don't grow legs and walk off, and how do you all manage large crowds of teens when space and controllers are limited?

(more...)

We as librarians and library service providers talk a lot about being inclusive. We strive to be inclusive with staff, with our patrons, with our collections, and with our programming. This is one thing that as teen service providers I know as a group we work hard to maintain, and it's one thing that we get challenged on more often than our adult service colleges. So take a step back for a moment, a true and reflective step, and examine how inclusive your Mother's Day programming is for your patrons.

(more...)

Have you heard of Blizzard, the video game developer and publisher? If not, surely you've heard of World of Warcraft, which is one of their most well known games. They've also created the extremely popular video games and universes of Diablo, Starcraft, and Overwatch in addition to the Warcraft games. While the game I'm discussing today isn't new - Heroes of the Storm (HotS) has been out since June 2015 - it was recently relaunched with a ton of new features and has been getting a lot of coverage.

HotS is a type of game called a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). Two teams of five people duke it out in map balanced around defending your towers while destroying theirs, managing 'creep' waves (small non-player enemies) in your lane (of which there are two or three, depending on the map), and killing enemy heroes. Each player has their own hero they control that has special abilities and a focused role on the team. These include damage dealers, tanks who absorb damage, healers, and specialist heroes that contribute to the team in unique ways no other hero does.

The ultimate goal, destroying the opponents' core, may be accomplished by destroying a lanes' worth of towers and then doing enough damage to the core to destroy it or by some other means based on the map objectives. There are multiple maps that focus on different ways to aid your side in battle or provide a different way to destroy the enemy core, and this helps keep the game fresh by changing up the path to victory from game to game.

What's fun about this game is that it pulls heroes from all of Blizzard's existing universes. Heroes from their games like Starcraft, Warcraft, Diablo, and more are all playable heroes and can be used to fight against opponents. They have abilities that make sense in their universe, such as a stimpack style healing mechanism for a well-known Starcraft hero. If you are enamored with the universes that Blizzard has created over the almost 30 years it's been around and enjoy MOBA-style games, then you'll probably get a kick out of this.

Similar games to HotS exist and are extremely popular, such as League of Legends and DOTA2. These games have eSports presences, huge tournaments, and large cash prizes. Meanwhile, Heroes of the Storm is a fairly recent addition to the MOBA genre, but Blizzard is trying to build up its presence rapidly with the recent update to Heroes of the Storm 2.0.

HotS is free to play similar to League of Legends and DOTA2. While DOTA2 only requires that you pay money for cosmetic items, like changing the way your hero looks, and not the heroes themselves, HotS and League of Legends require that you use either in-game currency or purchase in-game currency in order to unlock heroes as well as cosmetic items. Gathering enough in-game currency in HotS to unlock all playable heroes without spending money is a hugely time-consuming affair, but it certainly isn't required to have all the heroes unlocked to enjoy the game. Of course, there's also tons of cosmetic items that can be purchased which is becoming a common staple across many genres of video games these days.

These free-to-play games, such as HotS, can be great additions to any gaming computers you may have at the library as they can provide youth an avenue to enjoy games that they may not be able to play at home on their own computer if they have one. The graphical requirements generally aren't astronomical which allows for these games to be played on less powerful hardware. Internet connection speeds do need to be decent as latency can cause significant issues where entire battles can be decided based on split-second reaction times.

Have you played HotS? Do you have anything to add? Have you had teens playing it in the library? Please share in the comments below!

For the unofficial Star Wars celebration on May 4th (May the Fourth be with you!), here are eight books to hand to Rebels and Imperials alike. Some are direct tie-ins to the films, and others will appeal to teens who dream of a galaxy far, far away.

Lost Stars runs from before Rogue One and A New Hope to the events of Return of the Jedi. Thane and Ciena grew up together and fell in love, but Imperial occupation of their planet tore them apart. One went to the Imperial Academy (which is where Luke was going to go in ANH, remember?), and the other became a Rebel. A classic tale of star-crossed lovers set in the Star Wars universe, this one has boatloads of acclaim.

Speaking of Claudia Gray, if you want to know what happened to Leia Organa in between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, snag Bloodline. Technically, this is aimed at adults, but why not give it to teens? If they're into Star Wars, they'll devour this.

For me, Timothy Zahn is one of the foremost Star Wars authors, and I was super sad when his Heir to the Empire trilogy got retconned into the Legacy books (i.e. it's no longer canon). However, in a very smart move, his iconic character Thrawn was repurposed in Rebels and makes his solo appearance in the revamped universe in the brand new book Thrawn. One of the Empire's most notorious baddies rides again!

There are loads of Star Wars books to delve into, especially if you count all of the AU/Legacy titles (please read the Heir to the Empire books!). Sometimes they can be hard to track down, which is why sci-fi readalikes save the day!

How about some Illuminae? Yep, it's everyone (seriously, almost everyone I know who has read this has loved it)'s favorite space thriller with traitors, hackers, and killer biological agents! What if the Rebels didn't have the Force on their side, but super-duper hacking abilities? What if the Empire was everyone you ever trusted? (Oh wait, that part is kinda true)

Any Rocket Raccoon/ GotG comic should scratch the itch caused by one dashing Corellian smuggler and his co-pilot from Kashyyyk. I highly recommend Skottie Young's run on Rocket Raccoon for its frenetic art and spot-on characterizations.

So go forth to your local library's holocron (er, catalog) and reserve as many as you can! May the Force be with you. Always.

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You've got questions, we've got answers! This week we need YOUR help.... Question: What are your favorite (newish) anime titles available on DVD and appropriate for grades 6-12? If you have a question about anything teen services related ask it here! Your question will be featured on the blog with answers from our agent volunteers or TSU team members.

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Library Jobline, LRS's website for library job postings and resources, broke its own record for the number of jobs posted in 2017 while the number of job seekers and job posters continued to rise. Data collected from the Library Jobline website are highlighted in the most recent Fast Facts report. In 2017 employers posted 701 jobs to Library Jobline, an average of 13 new jobs a week. January was Jobline's busiest month, with 73 new jobs posted. Similar to 2016, about two-thirds (67%) of the jobs posted were located in Colorado. However, the percentage of full-time jobs posted saw a big...

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Library Jobline, LRS's website for library job postings and resources, broke its own record for the number of jobs posted in 2017 while the number of job seekers and job posters continued to rise. Data collected from the Library Jobline website are highlighted in the most recent Fast Facts report.

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So I received a message in my email asking my thoughts on 13 Reasons Why and programming. At the same time, Heather Booth was thinking about doing a book discussion and she tweeted out asking people their thoughts, so we called and talked about it. Here's what I'm currently thinking about 13 Reasons Why, libraries, teens and programming.

1. The Contagion Effect

In my previous post I alluded to the fact that for reasons that we don't quite understand, when a school had one suicide they will often have a few more. The term I was looking for at the time is the Contagion Effect. Alexandra Duncan wrote an amazing thread on the teenage brain, mental health and the contagion effect with links to good resources and I highly recommend that everyone read it. When we talk about teens and 13 Reasons Why I think it is important that we keep this information in mind.

Hey, folks. I need to talk to you for a minute about depression, #13ReasonsWhy, and something called the "contagion effect."

- Alexandra Duncan (@DuncanAlexandra) May 6, 2017

2. We Are Not Concerned with Teenage Intelligence, but with Mental Health

Some of the conversation I have seen regarding 13 Reasons Why suggests that this is adults once again not respecting the intelligence or depth of teens, and I think that is not what is happening here. This is about recognizing, as Alexandra Duncan mentions above, that mental health is different then intelligence. People who struggle with mental health issues, depending on what those issues are and where they are at in their treatment, can respond differently to the same input as a person who does not struggle with mental health issues. There are definite times when that mental illness works really hard to trick us into thinking things about ourselves, our worth, that are a skewed distortion of the truth and it's easy to see how people in vulnerable situations may react differently to the graphic conversations and depictions of suicide depicted in 13 Reasons Why. It's not about not respecting teens, it's about respecting teens who may be struggling with mental illness and understanding how triggering this can be to some of them. It's also about respecting experts who have dedicated their lives to learning about their field of study, remember it's not just random adults and parents who are concerned with the on screen depiction but mental health experts with knowledge and experience.

3. Speaking of Experts

I have no problem with the idea of having book discussions or programs on controversial materials or subjects, I just recommend thinking about how we approach those. For example, I have worked at libraries where we have had programs on teen dating violence and domestic violence. The difference is that I had an expert come in and do those programs, and I would recommend the same when talking about 13 Reasons Why which involves mental health and suicide. This isn't just a program, it's a program about a topic that is literally life and death and it's important that we acknowledge the weight of that and respect it. Having an expert on hand to facilitate your program/discussion and to answer any questions is important to make sure that teens are getting the most correct information available to them. If our goal is to serve teens and recognize this important discussion that they are having, then let's serve them well and make sure they are getting the best information out there on such an important and sensitive topic.

4. Remember, Programming is Opt In

The truth about any book discussion or program in a public library is that it is opt in. This means that our patrons make the choice to come. As long as our marketing is truthful and fully informs our audience of the content of the program and the sensitive nature of the topics, I do think if done well that we can talk about sensitive and controversial things. We put the program together and invite the public, each individual decides whether or not they want to come. Our library system is in its second year of hosting the Great Discussions program, which can in fact contain some controversial topics and discussions. The key is making sure in our marketing to fully inform our prospective audience of what those topics are.

5. What's the Very Least a Library Should Do Regarding 13 Reasons Why

The popularity of the Netflix series has brought the topics of sexual violence, bullying, mental health and suicide to the forefront of teen discussion. Not only are teens talking about it, but parents, teachers and community members are as well. So this is where we put on our information specialist hats and be pro-active rather than reactive. At the very least, take a moment to review your library policy and inform staff what they are legally and morally required to do if they have a conversation with a teen who they suspect is in some type of harm or danger or at risk for committing suicide. This is an important conversation for librarians to be having with their administration.

Second, think of having some type of resource ready should questions come up. Make sure you have access to a couple of articles regarding the book and show, have a list of some companion reads, and - MOST IMPORTANTLY - make sure you have a list of local and national resources available. There is a National Suicide Prevention Hotline (shown below) and you may want to put up signs in the library letting that information be known. Locally you may also have some resources that you want to know about to share with patrons.

And finally, a word about streaming the Netflix show in the library. Netflix contracts do not legally allow for the public sharing or streaming of Netflix content, with the exception of The 13th which has been given special permissions for public streaming. In addition, this show is rated M for mature, and if you haven't watched it yet you should know that is has graphic language, graphic rape scenes, and a graphic depiction of suicide.

And I want to reiterate my previous concern that while it may be great that this book and this show are out there getting teens to talk about very real and important topics that affect them, not all teens have someone to talk to about these topics. And I would caution librarians to think long and hard about what types of conversations they want to have about teens regarding these topics. Know the law, know what your administration will and won't support, know when and who to refer to, and remind teens that although we may be valued and trusted adults who are experts on the topic of librarianship, we are not experts on the topic of mental health but we will help them find the answer to their questions.

What about sharing our personal stories? I think that is a personal decision that each librarian has to make. And again, each library culture and admin is different so you'll want to keep in mind what type of boundaries your admin wants you to have with your teens.

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Teen Librarian Toolbox - @TLT16 Pprofessional development for teen librarians

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So I received a message in my email asking my thoughts on 13 Reasons Why and programming. At the same time, Heather Booth was thinking about doing a book discussion and she tweeted out asking people their thoughts, so we called and talked about it.

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Joyce Valenza

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Neverending Search - A School Library Journal Blog

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Gwyneth Jones

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Well, hello! I'm so happy you're here!

I don't usually post about travel or vacation stuff here without having it related to an Ed Tech or Library conference or educational stuff, but this travel experience to the Biltmore Estate was so magical, beautiful, significant, and transcendent and I wrote such a LONG Trip Advisor review, I felt like I had to share it with ya'll!

I won't be mad if you choose to skip reading this post if you're only here for the education related stuffs ....because it's kinda long and it's kinda detailed! Shocker.

And no..no..The Biltmore Estate did NOT sponsor or pay for this post --though, I wouldn't mind a little swag when I go back (in April! LOL) What can I say? I was inspired and when I feel thusly, I write it down.

Also, this might seem weird to you, that as a grownup, I really like to travel with my Mom & Dad. I have friends and I love them dearly, but I love my parents more. They're fun to be with! Als...

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Well, hello! I'm so happy you're here! I don't usually post about travel or vacation stuff here without having it related to an Ed Tech or Library conference or educational stuff, but this travel experience to the Biltmore Estate was so magical, beautiful, significant, and transcendent and I wrote such a LONG Trip Advisor review, I felt like I had to share it with ya'll!

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Doug Johnson

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Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 05:36AM

Heading to Ecuador. I'll be gone for four to six weeks. I'm only taking a carry-on backpack .

This will be a multi-part trip. My friend Heidi and I will be spending a week on a small cruise ship in the Galapagos, taking day hikes and snorkeling around the islands. A second week will be spent at a lodge in the Amazonian rainforest. Heidi will then fly home and I will head to the colonial city of Cuenca to spend a couple weeks in a hostel - and chill. I've read about a mini-Inca Trail hike near there as well as a long downhill bike ride. I'll look into those. If I am not too homesick, I may stay in Cuenca for another couple weeks or explore more of Ecuador.

GIven the variety of activities, temperatures, and such, I need to be smart about what I bring. While not the king of minimalism, I can go fairly light...

Simple clothes for 7 days. I figure I can always get laundry done once a week. I only take hiking pants/shirts, underwear and socks. Swimsuit and one t-shirt. Packing cubes help organize and compress my clothes. No dress clothes. I wear one rain jacket/windbreaker and sweatshirt on the plane with light gloves and a stocking hat in the pockets. I pack a broad-brimmed hiking hat.

One pair of hiking shoes and a pair of Crocs to wear in my accommodations and if needed on wet shore landings.

New razor and toothbrush. My old toiletry bag also includes a washcloth, fingernail clippers, a few over-the-counter meds, small bars of soap, etc. Never hard to find a tube of toothpaste on the road if needed.

Laptop/Kindle/iPhone. I have a very small, old Chromebook that is my travel companion. I have an old Kindle that still has good battery life. And I have an old iPhone into which I can have a local SIM card installed for internet access. Chargers, of course.

Paper copies of passport and vax card. I also have scans of these stored in GoogleDocs and on my phone.

Eye mask, ear plugs and neck pillow for my flights. Umbrella. Highly compressible pack for day trips.

I hope to leave behind cold weather, bad habits, and routine. They probably wouldn't fit in my backpack anyway.

* My friend and I pass the required COVID test yesterday! Off we go...

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Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 05:36AM Heading to Ecuador. I'll be gone for four to six weeks. I'm only taking a carry-on backpack . This will be a multi-part trip. My friend Heidi and I will be spending a week on a small cruise ship in the Galapagos, taking day hikes and snorkeling around the islands.

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Buffy Hamilton

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Ten years ago today, I began The Unquiet Librarian blog. It's hard to believe a decade has passed, but the years have passed in the blink of an eye. When I began blogging, I simply did it to have a space to reflect on my practice, period.