Dear Friends and Gentle People -
Every once in a while, some superlative resources about children’s services show up and make one want to cheer and shout. Some of you may already know about these. For those who don’t, please let me shout and share these recent materials about
which all children’s personnel should know. If you’re not a children’s person, please forward to someone who is.
1.
Robert, the Earl of Grantham once observed on
Downton Abbey that,
You can’t understand the present if you don’t know what happened in the past.
If we don’t respect the past, we'll find it harder to build a future.
Woman of the Decades: The Legendary Louise Seaman Bechtel by Lisa Von Drasek
The Summer 2020 issue of ALSC’s Children & Libraries has a terrific article about Louise Seaman who was hired by the
Macmillan Company to develop the first children’s book department in 1919, a position she held
until 1934. She married and became Mrs. Edwin Bechtel in 1928.
“Most of the books for younger children are especially good for reading aloud. More reading aloud, to older as well as younger children, will increase their power of concentration and
their sense of the beauty of good English. Advice on individual problems will be given gladly by the Juvenile Department, or by local librarians, or by children’s book departments in various stores.”
2.
Community, Connecting, Cultivating, & Constructing Conversations through Literacy was a collaborative effort between the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division
of the American Library Association (ALA). PreK through 8th Grade titles on this list were compiled by members of BCALA and members of ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee.
3.
The Power of Story Diverse Books for All Readers
(speaking of how
a current publisher has morphed Louise Seaman's catalog idea ...)
There’s nothing more powerful than a story to connect us, to help
us understand each other, and to build empathy. With this catalog, we aim to share books for all ages that tell the stories of historically underrepresented groups specifically related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical and mental
abilities, religion, and culture. In sharing these books with young people, you will be giving them the opportunity to see that everyone’s story deserves to be told, to read widely, and to understand and expand their world.
4.
Storytime Manual for East Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System Developed by Saroj Ghoting
with CiKeithia Pugh, Early Learning Program Manager, Seattle (WA) Public Library
- an incredibly fine guide chocked full with thoughtful and practical resources.
In addition, every library providing services for children should have the following storytelling titles
on their professional shelf. (Some parents might also enjoy.)
~ Storytelling: Art and Technique 4th Edition by Ellin Greene and Janice M. Del Negro. Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
The 3rd Edition (1996) includes
a Festschrift for Augusta Baker (with 13 tales for retelling).
(The original book was developed by storyteller extraordinaire Augusta Baker - Storytelling: Art and Technique. Bowker 1977. It also is well worth having, just to hear Augusta’s voice in print.)
~ Caroline Feller Bauer's New Handbook for Storytellers 2nd Edition by Caroline Feller Bauer Lynn Bredeson (Illustrator). ALA, 1993.
~ The Handbook for Storytime Programs 1st Edition by Judy Freeman (Author) Caroline Feller Bauer. ALA, 2015.
Do you have any other suggestions to share?
As a reminder, the Tennessee State Library and Archives developed these terrific videos with
Jinx Watson, retired associate professor, School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee.
And don’t forget -
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
~ Mark Twain
- Don
- - -
Donald B. R Reynolds, Jr.
P.O. Box 278
Talbott, Tennessee 37877
865.475.2030
2019-2021 Past President; 2014-17, 2018-19 President, Friends of Tennessee Libraries (FOTL)
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Retired Director, Nolichucky Regional Library, Tennessee
Founding Director/Former President, Association for Rural and Small Libraries
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Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.
~ Robert J. Sawyer
No act of kindness,
no matter how small, is ever wasted.
~ Aesop
I believe without laughter there’s no point at all.
~ Lauren Bacall
Be Happy. It's one way of being wise.
~ Sidone Gabrielle Colette
Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't met yet!
Since retiring, I wake up in the morning with nothing to do -
and by bedtime it's only half done.
~ Bill Yates, small society
God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things -
right now, I'm so far behind, I will never die.
~ Anonymous
May the good Lord make you smart enough to live in a small town.
~ Radio news announcer in The Runaway Bride
He who reads books knows more.
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.
~ Harry Truman
Take change by the hand before it takes you by the throat.
~ Sam McKinney
Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.
~ Irene Peter