Youth Source

Virtual Author Visits via Skype

Skype is a free software that allows you to talk, instant message, or video chat using your computer. Author of Owney, the Mail Pouch Pooch, Mona Kerby, and Library Media Specialist, Sarah Chauncey, have teamed up to create Skype an Author Network.

Skype an Author Network provides K-12 teachers and librarians with a way to connect authors, books, and young readers through virtual visits, using Skype. On the website is a list of participating authors, sample videos, and success stories.

Liven up your library service through ALSC online education courses

Bring something new to your library by taking an online course this winter from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).  Starting on Feb. 1, ALSC is offering five timely courses that are sure to cure your winter blues and liven up your library.

The winter course selections are: Connecting with Tween Readers; Information Literacy—From Preschool to High School; The Newbery Medal: Past, Present and Future; Reading Instruction and Children’s Books; and Series Programming for Elementary School Age. Registration will open Dec. 14, and discounted rates are available for ALSC members.  Course space is limited, so please register early to reserve your spot.

Registration now open for YALSA’s winter online courses

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), will offer two online courses this winter: Booktalks Quick and Simple, taught by Nancy Keane, and Power Programming for Teens, taught by Amy Alessio.

Both classes meet for four weeks and begin in February. To read course descriptions, please visit www.ala.org/yalsa/onlinecourses.

Registration for YALSA’s online courses is available at www.ala.org/yalsa/onlinecourses now through Feb. 5. Four-week courses cost $135 for YALSA members and students, $175 for ALA members and $195 for nonmembers.

Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, and all YALSA e-courses are available for licensing; contact Eve Gaus at egaus@ala.org or 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5293, for more information.

YALSA extends deadline to apply to manage new blog

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), will launch a new blog focused on young adult literature, in 2010. YALSA currently seeks a member manager for the blog. This blog will focus solely on young adult literature and will provide teens with a definitive Web connection to blog posts, images, booklists, videos and more, all related to teen reading. YALSA is currently seeking a member manager for the new blog.

The member manager will lead an advisory board that prepares content for the blog and solicits content from the YALSA community. Full details, including qualifications, duties and honoraria, are available online at http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2009/09/11/yalsa-seeks-member-manager-for-new-blog. YALSA membership is required for this position. Applicants should provide a cover letter and a resume that includes management, writing, and web publishing experience. Applications are due Nov. 30, 2009 to yalsa@ala.org. Questions may be directed to Beth Yoke at byoke@ala.org.

Registration opens for YALSA’s Teen Tech Week™

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), launched its Teen Tech Week 2010 Web site, opening registration and offering resources for the annual celebration of nonprint resources . More resources, including activity ideas, presentations, publicity tools and more, can be found at www.ala.org/teentechweek . Teen Tech Week is March 7-13, with a theme of Learn Create Share @ your library, encouraging teens to take advantage of the many technologies available to them, free of charge, at their libraries.