We’ve all been there. You spend weeks planning what feels like the perfect children’s program. You prepare thoughtful activities, gather materials, and add creative touches. Then… only a handful of kids show up. It can feel disappointing and frustrating. But low attendance is something every youth services librarian faces at some point. Instead of letting those moments get us down, what if we saw them as chances to rethink what success really means? The Pressure of the “Perfect Program” It’s easy to get caught up chasing the perfect program—one that fills the room and wows the crowd. The desire to showcase bustling, successful programs often comes from passion and pride. But it can also create pressure that overshadows our true purpose. When we judge ourselves only by how many chairs are filled, we lose sight of what really matters. The deeper connections and meaningful moments often happen quietly, in smaller…
Category: Mentoring
Building Connections and Fostering Leadership: How ALSC Members Can Get Involved
At the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC), we’re committed to fostering connections, creating valuable resources, and developing new leaders in the field of children’s library services. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer, there are countless opportunities for ALSC members to get involved, grow their skills, and contribute to our mission! The Membership Committee’s goal is to ensure that we’re supporting new members and also nurturing the active engagement of our existing ones. Here are a few ways you can take part in ALSC’s vibrant community and make a lasting impact. 1. Volunteer for a Committee or Task Force ALSC is powered by the energy and dedication of its member leaders. Volunteering for a committee or task force is an excellent way to contribute to the development of programs, resources, and initiatives that support children’s librarians and the children they serve. By volunteering, you’ll not only help…
Looking for Mentorship?
Are you looking to connect with others in the field of librarianship? Are you seeking opportunities to learn and grow by tapping into the knowledge and experiences of others? If you responded, YES, the ALSC (Association of Library Services to Children) Mentorship program has openings for interested candidates.
Mastering Mentorship: Tips for Success
Mentorship is an important part of professional development and growth. But how would you define mentorship? Writing this post, I struggled to find a definition that resonated. Too many focused on the ambiguous work of a mentor, failing to define either mentor or work. Finally I found this beautiful definition: Mentorship is an intentional effort to support, encourage, and/or motivate someone in a particular space…who has less experience/expertise/creativity than you do in that space. – Kathy Fall I love how this definition captures so many parts of mentorship. Moreover, it doesn’t require years of experience, specific skills, or job titles. Instead, it focuses on everyone having something to offer others. For me, that’s key. I’ll be focusing on mentors and mentees as equally important participants in the relationship.
Manager Mistakes:
and some tips to try to solve them. In my system, a lot of children’s librarians become managers. It makes a lot of sense, as children’s librarians are constantly juggling multiple priorities, have to deal with a high level of work, and are invested and passionate about library work. In fact, I think children’s librarians make great managers for all those reasons (but maybe I am biased)! If you are thinking of becoming a manager or are just starting out in management, check out these classic management mistakes and learn how to avoid them.
Using the Covid experience to help us grow in our work
Earlier this year, Maeve Brewer and Mary Voors joined the ALSC Mentoring program with the hope that collaborative learning and personal/professional growth would result. We decided that one of our mentorship goals would be to write a blogpost on the general topic of how we can use the Covid experience to help us become stronger and more adaptable children’s librarians and managers.
Near-Peer Connections for Literacy: NYPL’s Portal Magazine
NYPL After School is a free drop-in program for kids aged 6-12 that takes place after regular school hours, Monday through Thursday, from October-June, when school is in session. Teen Reading Ambassadors are employed in our After School program, acting as leaders and role models to younger kids, ambassadors for the Library’s mission to inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning, and writers and editors of their very own magazine. Rachel Roseberry is the Manager of Young Adult Literacy Programs at The New York Public Library and I caught up with her to learn more about the magazine project and how it came to be.
Staying Out of Trouble
Whenever I look at something going bad, I ask: Are there systems in place? Are they up to date? Are they implemented? It all leads up to making decisions on high consequence, low probability events, or what many call high risk – low frequency. Think of your library. Each library consists of a distinct set of offices, branches, departments, or at a minimum, colleagues each with set of things for which they are responsible. Let’s just call them the things we do; each of us. Your job is complex. There may be hundreds or thousands of things you do that need to happen correctly so that your library, office, branch, or department can function; consistently delivering upon its mission. Those things all have one singular goal; doing it right. In youth work, if you are going to recommend titles, you do it right. If you are presenting a story time,…