Monthly Archives: September 2015

BSLA Learning Materials for Workshop

Material for the BSLA Learning Materials for Workshop is now available at:

Module 5a: School Libraries on the agenda 

‘This sub-module is a part of the IFLA Building Strong Libraries Associations (BSLA) Programme. The sub-module focuses on the role of School Libraries and their associations with particular reference to functions in communicating, marketing, and advocacy for the increased importance of school libraries. The sub-module draws on several communication tools by library associations. School library relationships and communications exist within varierty of context, which then impact library initiatives’.

Nota Bene: To have access to the material you’ll have to subscribe to the IFLA Learning site. When clicking on Module 5a: School Libraries on the agenda you’ll be directed to the inlog page.

Publishing in IFLA’s Journal

As you are beginning new research projects, considering where to submit recently completed work, or editing a recent conference paper, please consider IFLA Journal.  The journal publishes peer reviewed articles on library and information services and the social, political and economic issues that impact access to information.  The journal publishes research, case studies and essays that reflect the broad spectrum of the profession. 

All papers are peer reviewed, and we provide prompt feedback within 30 days of submission. IFLA Journal is widely disseminated to IFLA members around the world and available online on the SAGE Journals platform: ifl.sagepub.com hosted by HighWire.  Articles are available Open Access with no embargo on author archiving of the accepted version of your work in institutional repositories (RoMEO Green).

 Although IFLA Journal no longer publishes IFLA Congress papers directly, the journal editorial committee is pleased to review papers presented at the IFLA Congress and other conferences.  All papers previously presented at a conference must be edited with at least a 30% change in content.  In addition, the paper must have a new title.

 How to submit:

 SAGE Track: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ifl

Visit the IFLA Journal website at http://ifl.sagepub.com

Banned Book Week Sept. 27-Oct. 3

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Check out the frequently challenged books section to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Ideas and Resources. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or bbw@ala.org.

International School Library Month

International School Library Month is fast approaching and may be celebrated for the whole month of October or for any time span within that month that suits a school or library. The theme this year is: The school library rocks.

International projects that are underway for 2015 are the ISLM Bookmark Project where schools exchange bookmarks and make contact with children in other countries and the ISLM Skype Project. Many school libraries will choose to have local or national celebrations, promoting the value libraries bring to the lives of children through reading, information literacy, transmission of cultural heritage and engagement with the community.

Ideas for how school libraries have celebrated internationally last year may be found on the IASL website on the ISLM 2014 Projects page. Reports came in from Croatia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and Ukraine. It would be great to see even more countries reporting on their celebrations in 2015. Please send ISLM reports to the IASL Secretariat by 15 November, 2015.

IASL is very grateful to their ISLM Coordinator, Marie O’Brien, for all her work in facilitating the projects and celebrations, and IASL wish all school libraries a wonderful time of celebration in October.

Members

As for 16-9-2015 for the Section there are:

  • 19 Institutional members
  •  1 International Association
  • 27 National organisations
  • 13 Personal affiliates

This total of 60 members represents 37 countries.

As you don’t have to be an IFLA member to subscribe to the Mailing list, there are 281 persons subscribed to:

SCHOOL-L: The purpose of the list will be for better communication between the members of the section and to disseminate minutes, newsletters, etc throughout the group.

2016 Picturebook Symposium CFP

1ST Bi-Annual Marantz Picturebook Research Symposium

July 24-26, 2016
Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Keynote: Will Hillenbrand, Children’s Book Author and Illustrator

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

“The Picturebook as an Art Object:”
Honoring the life and work of Dr. Kenneth A. Marantz

According to Dr. Kenneth A. Marantz, professor of art education at the Ohio State University from 1971 to 1991, picturebooks (spelled as one word by Dr. Marantz) are “such rich repositories of visual art, so readily available compared with the resources housed in galleries and museums, that I believe we must take the fullest advantage of them.” For many young children, picturebooks represent their first exposure to culture—to art, and to literature — in one perfect package. For older children, picturebooks are a useful tool for addressing controversial or difficult subject matter. For all, the aesthetic relationship with picturebooks can create life-long connections.

Dr. Kenneth A. Marantz and his wife Sylvia Marantz have graciously funded a biannual scholarly picturebook research symposium to be organized and hosted by the Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science. In this first Marantz Picturebook Research Symposium, to be held July 24-26, 2016, we honor Ken Marantz’s life work around the picturebook.

Children’s book author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand will deliver a keynote address. Hillenbrand, who studied under Ken Marantz, received the 2012 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor award for his illustrations in Bear in Love. Other accolades include a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators;  Notable Book Award from the American Library Association for the first picture book he illustrated, Traveling to Tondo; and Children’s Choice Awards from the International Reading Association for Sam Sunday and the Mystery at the Ocean Beach Hotel and The House That Drac Built.

This call for proposals seeks original, interdisciplinary research in areas related to picturebooks, especially centered around Dr. Marantz’s concept of the picturebook as an art object.

Presentation Formats:  The Committee especially encourages presentations and research in the following formats:

1.     Twenty-minute presentations followed by 10 minutes of discussion

2.     Panel submissions comprised of three 20-minute presentations followed by 20 minutes of discussion (or four 15-minute presentations followed by 15 minutes of discussion)

3.     Posters

Submissions must be submitted on the appropriate form (insert link) and must include the following in order to be considered:

·      Title and up to 5 keywords

·      Description of type of proposal you are submitting (poster/paper/panel)

·      Names and contact information of all contributors

·      An abstract of no more than 350 words of your proposed poster or presentation.

·      In the case of a panel submission, an abstract should accompany each of the papers that will be included.

·      Information about any special equipment requirements (beyond a laptop and projector, which will be provided)

Prospective participants should submit abstracts that report on recent research and scholarship. Contributions to this call for papers may not have been previously published, and all research methodologies from all disciplines are welcomed.

Deadlines:

January 15, 2016:  Deadline to submit abstracts

March 1, 2016:  Notification of acceptance. Once selected, presenters are responsible for their own expenses related to the conference, including but not limited to registration fees, lodging, transportation and meals. Students are encouraged to participate.

Possible topics, as related to the conference theme, include (but are not limited to):

  • Picturebooks and aesthetics
  • “Reading” picturebooks: The influence of art and text on early literacy
  • Picturebooks, aesthetics, and the imagination
  • Playing with picturebooks
  • Cultural constructions of picturebooks
  • Picturebooks and digital formats
  • Reaching diverse readers via picturebooks
  •  Historical perspectives on picturebooks

Proceedings:  There will not be proceedings for this conference; however, selected papers may be included in a special issue of a journal or an edited collection. Details will be provided as they become available.

For more information, please contact Dr. Marianne Martens (mmarten3@kent.edu) or Michelle Baldini (mbaldini@kent.edu).