See the first issue here (PDF)

Would you like to see a topic covered in the newsletter? Want to share info about your programs? Or perhaps contribute an article? Contact the State Library’s Youth & Family Services Consultant, Beth Crist, 303-866-6908.

Kathy Barco, Children’s Librarian at the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System in New Mexico, presented the lively morning session highlighting the 2012 summer reading program theme of night time at all 6 sessions. Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL) members Jana Ackerman, Lisa Chipouras, Laura Baldassari-Hackstaff, Melissa Depper, and Becky Campbell offered informative, useful afternoon sessions on early literacy, including an overview of the newly revised Every Child Ready to Read program.

Handouts from the workshops are available, including Becky Campbell’s early literacy presentation.

Some comments from workshop attendees:

• It was so helpful to start thinking about summer reading ideas and talk to other youth librarians in the area.
• I love getting ideas for activities plus meeting others and getting their input.
• Both of the presenters were fabulous! They were entertaining, enthusiastic, and really held my attention.
• This year was a great balance between SRP ideas and very appropriate Early Childhood ideas.
• Worthwhile content–Ideas, conversations, motivation. Thank you!
• I really enjoyed tying books to early literacy skills.
• Extremely helpful. The SRP theme seemed difficult until the workshop and now has become clear.

For more resources, tips, and research about early literacy, check out the CLEL website—or better yet join the group; it’s free!

To learn more about the 2012 summer reading program, visit the Collaborative Summer Library Program website. With the overall theme of night time, program slogans will encourage children to “Dream Big—Read,” while teens will “Own the Night.” Adults can interpret their slogan, “Between the Covers,” in a variety of ways, but we hope they’ll be encouraged along the way to read over the summer. Watch for more information and opportunities on the CYS-Lib listserv and here on this blog, and attend the summer reading program session at the CLiC Spring Workshops 2012!

ASK has held an annual workshop for the past seven years, but this was the first unworkshop. While new to participants, the majority were excited about the format. One participant commented: “I liked the unconference structure. It was energizing to be able to vote on topics to be covered, and discuss the topics with people who were also interested in the same things. I think that helped generate a lot of energy and enthusiasm for the individual sessions.”

See attendees having fun and participating in the event at the AskColorado Flickr stream.

For more information about AskColorado & its partner queue, AskAcademic, please contact Coordinator Kris Johnson, 303-866-6922.

We have made substantial revisions to the survey based on respondents’ comments to better reflect the current state of school libraries, and we look forward to getting the input of all Colorado public school librarians! The data gathered in the annual school library survey provides library professionals with important information for planning, evaluating, and budgeting.

For questions regarding the survey, or to obtain your username and password, feel free to call Library Research Service at 303-866-6900 or email lrs@lrs.org to get your information.

The Library Research Service (LRS) has made substantial revisions to the survey based on respondents’ comments to better reflect the current state of school libraries, and looks forward to getting the input of all Colorado public school librarians!

The data gathered in the annual school library survey provides library professionals with important information for planning, evaluating, and budgeting. Login information is included in the letter, but if you haven’t received your letter and would like to get started, feel free to call LRS at 303-866-6900 or email lrs@lrs.org to get your information.

The event will be held on the Auraria campus on March 31, 2011, 8:30am-3:45pm.  Registration opens February 1st and closes March 11th. Keynote authors are Maggie Stiefvater and Todd Mitchell!

More information:

• CTLC Website
• CTLC Facebook page
• CTLC Flyer (PDF)

Feel free to share this information with anyone you think may be interested in attending or getting involved.

There are some grants available for both teens and adults to attend, plus opportunities to be a teen panelist, receive graduate credit, present, and exhibit. Be sure to check out the CTLC website after January 10th for more info.

The Colorado Dept. of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC) are partnering to offer two workshop opportunities (as well as an opportunity for six $100 scholarships to cover registration and a substitute for the day).

Workshop Date/Locations:

• Pueblo on Friday, November 18th
• Thornton on Friday, January 27th

Attend a workshop to evaluate your library program – using the newly revised Highly Effective School Library Program Rubric (PDF) – and learn strategies for improvement for meeting the needs of 21st century learners. Leave this workshop with a toolkit that will help you help your students thrive and be post-secondary and workforce ready.

Registration: $40 per person.
For more information and to register, visit the CLiC website.

Schools all over the country participated in Banned Websites Awareness activities and some were featured in the New York Times. Colorado’s own Silver Creek High School in Longmont “held a “graffiti debate” on censorship on Wednesday: Should schools block Web sites? On sheets of white butcher paper hanging in the library, they wrote lists of the pros and cons of online access.” Silver Creek’s librarian, Phil Goerner, organized the debate to encourage students to think more deeply about ethical issues related to censorship, including how it can take away a person’s voice.

If your school participated in a Banned Websites Awareness Day activity, we would love to hear about it! Please email Michelle Gebhart with the details.

The proposals are funded through the federal Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) allocation to the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado State Library.  All grants addressed a goal in the long?range plan that states: “Colorado students and adult learners will receive services from libraries and librarians that support educational achievement and lifelong learning.”

Complete List of Awarded Projects (PDF)

Registration is required by September 9, 2011.

What is a roadshow you ask?

 Simply a really fun way to network with your library peers, learn more about unique library services (Plinkit, AskColorado/AskAcademic,SWIFT, Colorado Historic Newspapers, Colorado Virtual Library), and eat free food!

Can you think of a better way to spend a fall morning?

Still curious? Check out the pictures of past roadshows on Flickr!  You won’t be able to resist!