50+ Fandom Programs

Alessio, A. J., LaMantia, K., & Vinci, E. (2017). 50+ Fandom Programs: Planning Festivals and Events for Tweens, Teens, and Adults. Chicago, IL : ALA Editions.

 This book of ready-to-go programs and events will help public libraries give fans who are passionate about genres, characters, games, and book series plenty of reasons to return to the library again and again. Fandom programming can require planning across departments, tie-ins to collections and community partnerships, and targeted marketing. But the fun content cooked up by the three best-selling authors in this guide makes it easy to stay organized every step of way, with events broken down into components that streamline planning and facilitates coordination. Adaptable for a wide range of ages, this resource

• covers all the basics of how to host a fandom event, including prep time, length of program, number of patrons, budget, and supplies needed;
• suggests an age range (tweens, teens, millennials, older adults) for each program while also offering ways to tailor it to different groups;
• presents such imaginative and engaging programming ideas as 50 Shades of Hot Books, Old School Video Games, Women in Comics, Creating Steampunk Outfits, Superhero School, and many more;
• provides ideas for perennial fan favorites like Harry Potter, horror stories, and sports; and
• gives tips on how to stay current with what’s popular and ways to incorporate popular activities like cosplay, trivia, and movie-oke.

Filled with projects and ideas that can be used with a variety of fandoms and interests, this programming book will ensure both quick planning and great turnout.

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Teen Services Today

Joiner, S. K., & Swanzy, G. (2017). Teen Services Today: A practical Guide for Librarians. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Two authors with more than 20 years of combined experience share their practical experience serving teens in public libraries. Teen Services Today highlights best practices, including resources and references, to quickly implement programs and services to young adults.

Although teen services covers ages 12 to 18, a world of developmental changes and interest levels exist within those six short years. Teens offer a range of opportunities for public libraries, not simply as patrons, but also as advocates and volunteers.

Special features of the book include:

• Basic information on the fundamental services and programs for teens
• Reasons for providing services to teens
• Examples of successful teen programs, complete with lists of needed supplies and potential costs, that can generally be performed by one or two staff members
• Checklists and forms

Teen Services Today: A Practical Guide for Librarians gives all library staff the tools they need to work with teens. Whether you are the teen librarian, the clerk who’s been assigned to ‘do something’ about teens or the branch manager who sees an underserved population, this book will provide you with the building blocks to create successful relationships with the teens who use your library.

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Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism

Cart, M. (2016). Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism (3 ed.). Chicago, IL: Neal-Schuman. 978-0-8389-1462-5.

Cart’s authoritative survey is already a go-to text for students of literary studies, teachers, and YA staff. In this new edition he gives it a thorough update to make it even more relevant and comprehensive. Surveying the landscape of YA lit both past and present, this book

• sketches in the origins of literature targeted at young adults;
• shows how the best of the genre has evolved to deal with subjects every bit as complex as its audience;
• closely examines teen demographics, literacy, audiobooks, the future of print, and other key topics;
• includes updated treatment of best-selling authors like John Green, Suzanne Collins, and Veronica Roth, plus interviews with leaders in the field;
• presents new and expanded coverage of perennially popular genre fiction, including horror, sci fi, and dystopian fiction;
• offers an updated overview of LGBTQ literature for young adults, including Intersex;
• covers such commercial trends as adult purchasers of YA books and the New Adult phenomenon; and
• features abundant bibliographic material to aid in readers’ advisory and collection development.

Cart’s up-to-date coverage makes this the perfect resource for YA librarians who want to sharpen their readers’ advisory skills, educators and teachers who work with young people, and anyone else who wants to understand where YA lit has been and where it’s heading.

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Dragons in the Stacks

Steven A. Torres-Roman and Cason E. Snow. (2014). Dragons in the Stacks: A Teen Librarian's Guide to Tabletop Role-Playing by  Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 978-1-61069-261-8.

A one-stop, complete guide to tabletop role-playing games for novice librarians as well as seasoned players.

Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) are a perfect fit for library teen services. They not only hold great appeal for teen patrons, but also help build important skills ranging from math and literacy to leadership and dramatics. Role-playing games are cost-effective too. Dragons in the Stacks explains why RPGs are so effective at holding teenagers' attention, identifies their specific benefits, outlines how to select and maintain a RPG collection, and demonstrates how they can enhance teen services and be used in teen programs. Detailed reviews of role-playing games are included as well, with pointers on their strengths, weaknesses, and library applications. Coauthored by an experienced young adult librarian and an adult services librarian, this is the definitive guide to RPGs in the library, and the only one currently available.

Features

• Discusses collection development, cataloging, and programs for teens 
• Supplies detailed reviews of scores of popular and less well-known role-playing games 
• Outlines a variety of affordable, effective programs for teens that involve role-playing tabletop games

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The Handbook for Storytellers

Freeman, Judy & Bauer, Caroline Feller. (2015). The Handbook for Storytellers. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8-8389-1100-6.

Ideal for both beginners and more experienced storytellers, this exhaustive primer includes everything adults need to start sharing the wonder of stories with children, from babies to tweens. The lively text imparts easy-to-follow guidelines and practical advice on how, when, where, and why to tell stories. Each chapter incorporates a wealth of delectable folktales to read and tell, plus the authors’ hand-selected, annotated lists containing hundreds of classic and cutting edge children’s books, professional books, and relevant websites. Demonstrating the joy of stories and storytelling, this book

• Provides an overview of the history and types of storytelling
• Shows how to select, learn, prepare, and tell stories
• Begins with more than two dozen easy-to-learn stories that adults can read today and tell to children tomorrow
• Looks at the major types of folk and fairy tales, including many sample stories and booklists
• Offers a comprehensive list of stories reworked, reimagined, reinvented, parodied, satirized or recreated from folk and fairy tales
• Includes “Favorite Stories to Tell,” a compendium of more than 500 suggested tales, easily accessible by subject and theme, from which tellers can find the perfect stories to fit every occasion and begin to build their own repertoire of wonderful tales to tell
• Provides tips for publicizing and promoting storytelling programs

This handbook instructs, inspires, and entertains like no other resource of its kind.

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Makerspaces: A Practical Guide for Librarians (book)

Burke, John J. (2014). Makerspaces: A Practical Guide for Librarians. Boulder, CO: Rowman &Littlefield. 978-1-4422-2967-9.

*This book appears to be about makerspaces for upper elementary children, 'tweens, teens, and adults.

A “makerspace” is an area in a library where users can use tools and equipment to design, build, and create all sorts of different things. It may be a dedicated room or a multipurpose space in which a collection of raw materials and resources can be utilized as desired. Projects range from prototyping product designs with 3D printers, to programming robots, to creating art out of recycled items.

This practical guide will help librarians

• develop, budget for, and implement makerspaces;
• write grant proposals for funding;
• and understand the mindset behind the maker movement in order to meet patron needs.

Makerspaces: A Practical Guide for Librarians also includes useful case studies, descriptions of equipment and new technologies, and models for planning and assessing projects.

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The Maker Cookbook (book)

Wall, Cindy R. and Pawloski, Lynn M. (2014). The Maker Cookbook: Recipes for Children's and 'Tween Library Programs. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 978-1-31069-661-6.

The Maker Movement is sweeping the nation because it is creative and educational—and a lot of fun. Nonetheless, some librarians have hesitated to incorporate the movement into their programming because their libraries do not have dedicated makerspaces. If that describes you, then take heart. Written by librarians for librarians, this "cookbook" proves that every library is already a MakerPlace and provides you with recipes to make your library come alive with creativity.

Easy-to-use, step-by-step guidance helps you create engaging K–8 programs in science and technology, arts and crafts, and home skills that are perfect for the library setting. The menu of ideas is broken into four types of programming. "Appetizers" add a taste of the Maker movement to existing library programs. "Entrees" present full programs for a lengthy one-day event or a short series. "Side Dishes" are programs you can use if you have limited staff, budget, space, or any combination of those. "Desserts" are low-tech programs, suitable for young children. Each "recipe" includes extensions, variations, and curriculum tie-ins that give you even more ways to present the program ideas, whether to a different audience or as part of other related activities. Programs that involve creating a "Balloon Zip Line," a "Zen Garden," or a "Maker Marketplace" will delight library users and generate activity and excitement in your library.

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The Coretta Scott King Awards (books)

McCollough, Carole J. & Poniatowski Phelps, Adelaide. (2015). The Coretta Scott King Awards 1970-2014. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-3610-8.

Marking the 45^th anniversary of the prestigious awards that honor the best in children’s and young adult literature representing the African-American experience, the fifth edition of this unique guide remains an excellent tool for collection development,  readers’ advisory, and classroom use. More than just a bibliography, this resource includes

• A selection of  biographical profiles introducing the creative artists and illustrators behind the award-winning books

• Excerpts and color plates from many of the titles

• A subject index, ideal for curriculum planning

Educators, librarians, and others who work with children will find this one of-a-kind guide invaluable.

Check out this title's Web Extra!

Experiencing America’s Story through Fiction (book)

Crew, H.S. (2014). Experiencing America's Story Through Fiction: Historical Novels for Grades 7-12. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.

Historical fiction helps young adults imagine the past through the lives and relationships of its protagonists, putting them at the center of fascinating times and places--and the new Common Core Standards allow for use of novels alongside textbooks for teaching history. Perfect for classroom use and YA readers’ advisory, Crew’s book highlights more than 150 titles of historical fiction published since 2000 that are appropriate for seventh to twelfth graders. Choosing award-winners as well as novels which have been well-reviewed in Booklist, The Horn Book, Multicultural Review, History Teach, Journal of American History, and other periodicals, this resource assists librarians and educators by

• Spotlighting novels with a multiplicity of voices from different cultures, races, and ethnicities
• Featuring both YA novels and novels written for adults that are appropriate for teens
• Offering thorough annotations, with an examination of each novel’s historical content
• Providing discussion questions and online resources for classroom use that encourage students to think critically about the book and compare ideas and events in the story to actual history

This book will help teachers of history as well as school and public librarians who work with youth to promote a more inclusive understanding of America’s story through historical fiction.

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Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It! (book)

Bomhold, C. & Elder, T. (2014). Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It! Subject Access to the Best How-To Guides for Children and Teens. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. 978-1-59884-391-0.

For busy librarians and educators, finding instructions for projects, activities, sports, and games that children and teens will find interesting is a constant challenge. This guide is a time-saving, one-stop resource for locating this type of information—one that also serves as a valuable collection development tool that identifies the best among thousands of choices, and can be used for program planning, reference and readers' advisory, and curriculum support. Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It! identifies hundreds of books that provide step-by-step instructions for creating arts and crafts, building objects, finding ways to help the disadvantaged, or engaging in other activities ranging from gardening to playing games and sports. Organized by broad subject areas—arts and crafts, recreation and sports (including indoor activities and games), and so forth—the entries are further logically organized by specific subject, ensuring quick and easy use.

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Mind-Bending Mysteries and Thrillers for Teens (book)

Alessio, A.J. (2014). Mind-Bending Mysteries and Thrillers for Teens: A Programming and Readers' Advisory Guide. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-1204-1.

There are plenty of mysteries in teens' lives, including physical and emotional changes, uncertainty about the future, and feelings between people. Seen in this light, the appeal of these stories for this age group makes perfect sense: through a progression of plot and clues, the ending of a teen mystery book provides expected conclusions after an entertaining escape from reality. Well known from her bestselling teen programming books, Alessio offers a complete guide to getting young adults hooked on mysteries. Included are

• Book lists featuring every type of mystery subgenre, from cozies and romantic mysteries to suspense thrillers, police procedurals, and beyond, all thoroughly annotated
• Titles published within the last five years, accented by a handpicked assortment of classics
• Recommendations of some adult mysteries that older teens may enjoy
• Profiles of today's teen mystery fans, drawn from first-hand experience
• Interviews with several popular mystery authors to sketch in the genre's background and trends
• Step-by-step instructions for more than 40 programming ideas, from creating a "Mind Bending Club" to puzzles and a complete mystery dinner script
• Tips for displays, booktalks, and marketing
• Multiple indexes to help find the right book quickly

This one-of-a-kind resource will help YA librarians connect teens to mysteries they're sure to love.

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Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens (book)

Harrington, E.G. (2014). Exploring Environmental Science with Children and Teens. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-1198-3.

Despite the abundance of resources on the subject, in the classroom science often takes a back seat to the study of math and English. That gives public and school libraries as well as museums the opportunity to jump in as venues for informal education, sharing the wonders of science with children and their caregivers. In this intriguing book Harrington focuses on environmental science, offering a selection of unique programming ideas that not only entertain but also arm children and teens with information about environmental issues. There’s no need to have a particular background in science to use this all-in-one resource, which includes

• Background information on the national state of science education, and how environmental programming can foster science literacy
• Ways to introduce environmental science themes into existing library programs via “Little Learners Labs” for toddlers, science storytimes for young children, and book clubs for tweens and teens
• Lists of age-appropriate titles to share with any group
• Strategies for implementation to ensure success

This book not only demonstrates the need for environmental programming but also gives those who work with children and teens the ideas and confidence they need to move forward.

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Popular Picks for Young Readers (book)

Foote, D. (2014). Popular Picks for Young Readers: 500+ best-loved contemporary titles for kids age 0-14. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions. 978-0-8389-3605-4.


Featuring contributions by active librarians from around the country, this guide offers a goldmine of quality books for children, spotlighting more than 500 titles published within the last four years. Ranging from books for newborns through readers to age 14, the selected books encompass a wide variety of formats and themes to reflect the diversity of contemporary society. Popular Picks for Young Readers is equally useful for readers' advisory and collection development, and includes

• High-quality, well-reviewed books that are popular with kids
• Only original titles, eliminating derivative works such as those based on a movie or licensed characters
• Picture books, graphic novels, poetry, informational books, fiction, and more
• Thorough annotations, with summary, author, and publication information
• Multiple indexes for easy searching by title, author, type of book, genre, award-winners, and subject matter

With selections geared towards every child's interest and reading level, this guide will help librarians, teachers, caregivers and others connect young readers to books they're sure to love.

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Including Families of Children with Special Needs (books)

Scott Banks, C. (2014). Including Families of Children with Special Needs: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Chicago, IL: Neal-Schuman.

More than 6.5 million children in the US receive special education services; in any given community, approximately one child out of every six will get speech therapy, go to counseling, attend classes exclusively with other children with disabilities, or receive some other service that allows him or her to learn. This new revised edition is a step-by-step guide to serving children and youth with disabilities as well as the family members, caregivers, and other people involved in their lives. The authors show how staff can enable full use of the library’s resources by integrating the methods of educators, medical and psychological therapists, social workers, librarians, parents, and other caregivers. Widening the scope to address the needs of teens as well as preschool and school-age children, this edition also discusses the needs of Spanish-speaking children with disabilities and their families, looking at cultural competency as well as Spanish-language resources. Enhanced with checklists, stories based on real experiences, descriptions of model programs and resources, and an overview of appropriate internet sites and services, this how-to gives thorough consideration to

• Partnering and collaborating with parents and other professionals
• Developing special collections and resources
• Assessing competencies and skills
• Principles underlying family-centered services and resource-based practices
• The interrelationship of early intervention, special education, and library service

This manual will prove valuable not only to children’s services librarians, outreach librarians, and library administrators, but also early intervention and family support professionals, early childhood and special educators, childcare workers, daycare and after school program providers, and policymakers.

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Gateway to Reading (books)

Polette, N.J. (2013).Gateway to Reading: 250+ Author Games and Booktalks to Motivate Middle Readers. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Getting students to want to read is one of the greatest challenges facing middle school teachers and librarians. Determining which are the "right books" that can spark a child's mental awakening is also difficult. This book from prolific author Nancy Polette furnishes interesting and fun games to pique students' interest in junior novels that are worth reading—carefully selected titles that will contribute to their educational and emotional growth.

Gateway to Reading: 250+ Author Games and Booktalks to Motivate Middle Readers is a powerful tool for luring middle-school students away from the distractions of 21st-century media and introducing them to junior or 'tween novels that they won't be able to put down. By presenting children with a challenge to engage their minds—racing to decode book titles, or using their creativity to come up with titles of their own, for example—students are naturally drawn towards reading these books from well-known children's authors.

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Free Voluntary Reading (book)

Krashen, S. (2011). Free Voluntary Reading. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Free voluntary reading looks better and more powerful than ever. Stephen D. Krashen, PhD, is an advocate for free voluntary reading in schools and has published many journal articles on the subject. Free Voluntary Reading: Power 2010 collects the last ten years of his extensive work and reconsiders all aspects of this important debate in light of the latest findings.

The book provides an accessible examination of topics, such as free voluntary reading's value in language and literary acquisition domestically and worldwide, recent developments in support of free voluntary reading, whether rewards-based programs benefit the development of lifelong reading, the value of phonics in reading instruction, and trends in literacy in the United States.

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The Read-Aloud Handbook, 7th Ed. (book)

Trelease, J. (2013). The Read-Aloud Handbook: Includes a Giant Treasury of Great Read-Aloud Books, 7th Ed. New York: Penguin Books.

Millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic for more than three decades to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills. It has also been a staple in schools of education for new teachers. This updated edition of The Read-Aloud Handbook discusses the benefits, the rewards, and the importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by delightful anecdotes as well as the latest research (including the good and bad news on digital learning), The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

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Multiethnic Books for the Middle-School Curriculum

Jones, Cherri, and J. B. Petty. Multiethnic Books for the Middle-School Curriculum. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2013.
ISBN: 978-0-8389-1163-1

Publisher's Description

Focusing on titles dealing with ethnic and religious groups both in the U.S. and around the world, this useful resource makes it easy for teachers and librarians working with middle-school children to infuse their curricular area with multicultural literature. Carefully vetted and annotated, it encompasses fiction and non-fiction published in the last decade, making it an ideal reference and collection development tool for schools and public libraries as well as for classroom teachers. Sharing their extensive knowledge of the subject, Jones and Petty

• Match selections to curricular areas such as health, language arts, performing arts, physical education, science and math, social studies, U.S. history, and visual arts
• Provide detailed annotations complete with summaries, evaluations and suggested age levels, perfect for quickly choosing a title for a book talk
• Include quick reference citations noting the specific group or cultural connection which is addressed, making it easy to find just the right title
• Offer a list of organizations, resources for educational standards, and helpful websites for additional research

Chosen for their attention to cultural issues and portrayals of multiethnic characters, the books highlighted in this resource are directly aligned to the curricular needs of children in grades 5-8.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Health

Decision Making

Diseases and Disease Prevention

Gangs and Bullying

Sexuality and Sex Roles

Chapter 2

Language Arts

Literature

Fantasy

Folklore

Realistic Fiction

Chapter 3

Performing Arts: Dance, Music, and Theater

Dance

Music and Theater

Chapter 4

Physical Education

Baseball

Basketball

Board Sports

Boxing

Martial Arts

Running

Other Sports

Chapter 5

Science and Mathematics

Astronomy and Earth Systems

Life Sciences and Chemistry

Mathematics

Physics

Scientific Inquiry

Chapter 6

Social Studies

World History

U.S. History

World Religions

Chapter 7

Visual Arts

Appendix A National Curriculum Standards

Appendix B Cultures

Appendix C Sources for Further Information on Multiethnic Literature

Index

 

Best New Media, K-12

Barr, Catherine. Best New Media, K-12: A Guide to Movies, Subscription Web Sites, and Educational Software and Games. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.
ISBN: 978-1-59158-467-4

Publisher's Description

The abundance of formats available today provides a rich learning environment but also poses challenges to librarians, teachers, and parents. This new volume in the respected Best Books series guides readers to the best movies, educational software and games, and subscription Web sites for children and teens. Entries feature full bibliographic information (including grade level), a descriptive annotation, and review citations. An introduction addresses selection, acquisition, cataloging, shelving, and security of new media. A great selection, collection development, and programming tool...Comments on best values are incorporated when appropriate. Extensive indexing makes access easy, and an introduction addresses selection, acquisitions, cataloguing, shelving, and security of new media. Grades K–12.

Table of Contents

Preface
Materials for Younger Children (Grades K-3)
Materials for Older Children (Grades 4-12)
Literary Forms
Language and Communication
Biography, Memoirs, Etc.
The Arts and Entertainment
History and Geography
Philosophy and Religion
Society and the Individual
Guidance and Personal Development
Physical and Applied Sciences
Recreation and Sports
Reference
Title Index
Subject Index

Best Books for Middle School and Junior High

Barr, Catherine. Best Books for Middle School and Junior High School Readers, Grades 6-9. 3rd ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-59884-782-6

Publisher's Description
Now thoroughly updated to include the latest best books, this essential resource for middle school and junior high school libraries and public libraries supplies information on more than 11,000 in-print titles, most of which have been recommended in at least two reviewing journals. It retains its simple, thematic organization that makes finding the right book easy—for librarians, teachers, and parents alike. And its inclusion of thousands of nonfiction titles helps today's educators meet the Common Core standards.

Presented in the same great format as previous editions, this third edition remains an indispensible resource for identifying the right book for any individual reader's preferences, needs, or interests; and for creating reading lists that support curricular needs and thematic library programs. It is also an essential tool for evaluating and developing the library collection. The entries provide annotations with succinct plot summaries, ISBNs, book length, price, reading level, and review citations; and indicate Lexile levels, as well as titles that are available in audio format or as an eBook version.

Features
• Supplies concise, lively annotations and review citations on everything from literary classics and non-fiction titles to graphic novels
• Provides quick access to information for both library staff and patrons with thematic, curriculum-oriented organization and clear subject breakdowns
• Indicates which books are also available in audio format and in eBook format—valuable information for collection development and reading specialists
• Identifies award-winning and series titles

Sample Topics
Adventurers and Explorers
Astronomy and Space Science
Biography and Memoirs
Citizenship and Civil Rights
Geology and Geography
Guidance and Personal Development
Health and the Human Body
Historical Fiction and Foreign Lands
Sports and Games
World History and Geography