Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

The Self-Care Shelf: Handling Change with Grace Feeling overwhelmed by change? Build your self-care shelf with 5 tools to manage change with confidence, clarity, and grace.

" . . . I’ve built a small but sturdy self-care shelf. These tools help me manage change with more grace and less burnout. I still struggle with change, but returning to this shelf keeps me grounded."

Jaime Eastman shares her tools for managing change on the ALSC blog. #libraries #librarians

#ALSCJOY Lighting the Way Forward, Part Two Notes from ALSC President, Dr. Claudette S. McLinn, as #ALSCJOY is Lighting the Way Forward even in the face of new challenges.

ALSC President Dr. Claudette S. McLinn shares an update on committee appointments - as well as her experience hearing Dr. Carla Hayden speak at #alaac2025 - on the ALSC blog.

Host Site Selected For 2026 Children's Literature Lecture with Cynthia Leitich Smith The host site for selected For 2026 Children's Literature Lecture with Cynthia Leitich Smith is the Elmer L. Andersen Library in Minnesota

Elmer L. Andersen Library in Minneapolis, MN will host the 2026 Children's Literature Lecture with @cynleitichsmith.bsky.social! Learn more on the ALSC blog. #kidlit

"I started to panic during the meeting when I realized everyone in attendance already knew each other, but was quickly welcomed by all. This crashing of the meeting turned into a happy accident . . ."

Celebrate Disability Pride Year-Round through Collection Development These resources can help you develop the Disability Pride in your library's collection!

Kelley Taksier shares their go-to resources for #DisabilityPride in collection development on the ALSC blog. #libraries #librarians

ALA Annual 2025: Another Exciting Year! #alaac2025 ALA Annual 2025 Wrapped up on June 30 - learn more about all the ALSC programming at the event, including the NCL Banquet.

Couldn't make it to #alaac25 this year, or just want to relive the memories? Check out some of the ALSC highlights from the conference on the blog!

Little Learners: Getting Ready for PreK at the Library Many, if not all, public library systems provide story time for their preschool-aged patrons. These story times focus on early literacy skills to help...

"[Families] were nervous that their children would not know what school really was, or why they were there, if they had never done something like that before."

Anna Melvin shares how they created a program for children getting ready for PreK on the ALSC Blog. #libraries #librarians

Slide into Fun with Books for National Waterpark Day Find out how your library can celebrate National Waterpark Day with some great book recommendations for beginning readers.

Ann Baillie shares how her library celebrates #NationalWaterparkDay and provides waterpark-related book suggestions on the ALSC blog. #kidlit

How Do You Center Equity in Your Current Work? Learn how one children's librarian is working to center equity in her work through culturally relevant programming and other practices.

Maria Leon-Roman shares how she centers equity in her work, including through programming, collection development, and storytimes, on the ALSC blog. #libraries #librarians

DIY-Style PD: Refresh, Reflect, and Rebuild Your Practice Perhaps your professional development (PD) toolbox is feeling a little dusty due to underuse, or maybe some tools have become dull from overuse. As librarians, we recognize the importance of lifelong ...

"It can be easy to overthink and overlook resources already at your disposal; sometimes a trusted tool just needs sharpening or oiling."

Amalia E. Butler shares tips for DIY Professional Development on the ALSC blog. #libraries #librarians

Profile of 2025 Children's Literature Legacy Award winner Carole Boston Weatherford From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: ALA Awards.

From Jul/Aug #HBMag #ALA Awards Issue: Profile of 2025 #ChildrensLiteratureLegacy winner @caroleweatherford.bsky.social by @queendomteaching.bsky.social: "Her #nonfiction #picturebooks span 400+ years of Black history" www.hbook.com/story/profil... @wearealsc.bsky.social @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social

Profile of 2025 Caldecott Medal winner Rebecca Lee Kunz From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: ALA Awards.

From Jul/Aug #HBMag Special Issue: #ALA Awards: Profile of 2025 #Caldecott Medalist Rebecca Lee Kunz @treeoflifestudio.bsky.social by Kyce Bello "Becca lives her entire life in an artful way" www.hbook.com/story/profil...
@levinequerido.bsky.social @wearealsc.bsky.social @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social

Soline Holmes recaps how attending an ALA Annual session on forming partnerships between libraries led to a new partnership for her work on the ALSC blog. #libraries #librarians #alaac25

Early Readers Series My Patrons Love! Check out these Early Readers series my patrons love and learn how you can expand on Early Readers through programming and services

Ariel Barreras shares some of her patrons' favorite early readers series on the ALSC blog! #kidlit #earlyreaders

Dr. Carla Hayden on stage at ALA Annual Conference.

The #ALAAC25 session everyone’s been talking about is coming to C-SPAN!
Tune in this Sunday, July 27 at 4:35 PM EDT to see Carla Hayden, former Librarian of Congress, talk with Kwame Alexander about her remarkable career & the unexpected firing that rocked the library world.
www.c-span.org/bookTv/

Profile of 2025 Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: ALA Awards.

From Jul/Aug #HBMag #ALA Awards issue: Profile of 2025 #Newbery Medalist @erinentrada.bsky.social by Sharon Huss Roat: "The book sprang from her interests as both a history buff and sci-fi fan." www.hbook.com/story/profil... @harperkids.bsky.social @wearealsc.bsky.social @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social

2026 Notable Children's Books: July 2025 Discussion The 2026 Notable Children’s Book Committee will be meeting on July 22, 23, and 24, 2025 beginning at 1:00 pm CT for its July 2025 discussions

This year the 2026 Notable Children’s Book Committee will be meeting on July 22, July 23, and July 24 beginning at 2:00 pm EST for its July 2025 discussions. Learn more and register to observe the discussions on the ALSC blog. #kidlit

Full STEAM Ahead: A Look at a Yearly STEAM Expo For the past eight years (including a couple virtual), my library system has held a STEAM Expo to highlight library STEAM programming from staff and to invite community partners to come with their own...

Learn more about the #STEAM Expo at blogger Maria Trivisonno's library system on the ALSC blog. #libaries #librarians

Now is the time to nominate a candidate for the Children's Literature Lecture Award! Learn more and access the nomination form on the ALSC blog - nominations are due August 1. #kidlit

"I love programming. I love creating programs, whether they’re outreach storytimes, in-house events, or even teacher in-services. . . . But what happens at the other end…when it’s time to say goodbye to a program?" #libraries #librarians

2026 Notable Children's Recordings: Summer 2025 Discussion The 2026 Notable Children's Recordings summer discussion is set for Friday July 18, at 2 PM Central.Please register in advance

The Notable Children’s Recordings summer discussion is set for Friday July 18, at 3pm ET/2pm CT. Learn more and register to listen in on the ALSC blog!

Table of Contents: July/August 2025 Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: ALA Awards July/August 2025 Horn Book Magazine: Special Issue: ALA Awards. Table of Contents. Cover (c) 2025 by Rebecca Lee Kunz.

Jul/Aug 2025 #HBMag Special Issue: #ALA Awards (original cover by @treeoflifestudio.bsky.social @levinequerido.bsky.social)
See the Table of Contents: www.hbook.com/story/table-...
@amlibraryassoc.bsky.social @wearealsc.bsky.social #kidlit #yalit #Newbery #Caldecott #ChildrensLiteratureLegacy #CSK

The Write Stuff: Get Creative Creative writing is for everyone! Here are ten tips to turn readers into writers.

"Drop in writing groups are one approach, but that’s not the only way to get kids writing. Lots of other active and passive strategies build literacy skills while encouraging reflection and self expression."

Erika Hogan shares tips for building creative writing programs on the ALSC blog.

#ALSCJOY Lights the Way Forward In her first post as ALSC President, Dr. Claudette McLinn tells how "#ALSCJOY will light the way as we accomplish our goals."

Read Dr. Claudette S. McLinn's first post as ALSC president.

Step Up for ALSC! STEP UP for ALSC, STEP UP for election, and STEP UP for the future of librarianship serving all young people from birth through teens!

Nominate yourself or someone else for the ALSC board! Learn how in the ALSC Nominating Committee's latest blog post.

Quick Professional Development Wins: CAL Committee Columns Check out recent Children and Libraries columns written by ALSC committee members that provide a quick dose of professional development.

Laura Schulte-Cooper, "Children and Libraries" Managing Editor, shares some quick CAL reads from committees on the ALSC blog.

In the left is a sun illustration with the text "Save 20%" inside. To right against a blue background are an ALSC-branded zipper pouch and shirt, and a tote bag with the text "Every story matters every child counts." Underneath against a yellow background is the text "Save on everything at libarygiftshop.org; July 10-14."

The ALA library gift shop is having a 20% sale now through July 14. Save on ALSC shirts, tote bags, stickers and more! Visit librarygiftshop.org to start shopping.

The Biggest Thank You The immediate Past-President of ALSC offers a Big Thank You to everyone in children’s librarianship and children’s literature,

ALSC Immediate Past President Rob Bittner shares his reflections from #alaac2025 on the ALSC blog.

Reading Together: Partnerships with Purpose I work at the University of South Carolina, and we are proud to be the home of Cocky’s Reading Express (CRE). CRE started in 2005 as a week-long student government project. The School of Information S...

"Partnerships don’t have to be complicated to make a big impact. When libraries and universities come together, kids benefit—and so do the communities we serve."

Valerie Byrd Fort shares how USC runs their literacy outreach initiative on the ALSC blog.

#alaac2025 was an incredible experience! Scroll through some of the highlights of ALSC's programming during the conference, including the NCL Banquet and our other awards programming.

And a special thanks to @levinequerido.bsky.social (pictured here) for the production of the 2025 Banquet program!