A Call to Future Voters: How Libraries Can Help Them Understand Election Basics

Jennifer Lai-Peterson & Edward Hailes

2024-10-29 09:13 AM

More than three decades ago, President Bill Clinton signed into law the National Voter Registration Act ("NVRA," aka the "Motor Voter Law"). A historic law aiming to increase opportunities for eligible citizens to register to vote in elections for Federal office, the NVRA states that "the right of citizens to vote is a fundamental right [...]

School Library Events: Your November 2024 Inspiration

Heather Hornor

2024-10-28 09:17 AM

When I was a school librarian, every year I would look at my Year At-A-Glance (YAG) calendar for the upcoming school year. I would stick to my usual plan for various days, weeks, and monthly events to celebrate or honor in the library to help educate and bring awareness to my students and staff. Occasionally, [...]

Lady Bird Johnson, "Deeds, not words," and Dutiful Citizenry

Reneé Critcher Lyons & Helen Kampion

2024-10-22 11:16 AM

Libraries and librarians, specifically those which/who collect, disseminate, share and utilize targeted works of children's literature, may serve as excellent conveyors of much-needed civic understandings – going beyond how a bill becomes law to an emphasis on fact-checking, reasoning, listening, and consensual decision-making. Works for young people which highlight American history, when shared by school [...]

Libraries & Books Can Be a Safe Space for Transgender Youth in a Difficult Election Year

Ted Lewis, Director of Youth Well-Being, Human Rights Campaign Foundation

2024-10-10 02:59 PM

For the first time ever, the 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) data included demographic questions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Youth-serving professionals can now compare the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth to their heterosexual and cisgender peers and the data shows a stark contrast highlighting the safety [...]

Owning It: Admitting When We're Good

Steve Tetreault

2024-10-04 09:02 AM

Dis-Owning It I recently asked a friend if she'd like to be on my podcast. On it, school librarians share a lesson, activity, or program they've done so others can add another tool to their kit. She replied, "I think my every day is barely average for most of my school library peers." I disputed, [...]