Librarians love stories, and libraries are among the few forums that can offer exposure to collections of stories in various formats as well as encourage independent exploration and group discussion. Librarians read, encourage talking, writing about, and searching for stories, but this is text-based. What of the students new to the English…

The project "Representation of Childhood at the Museums of Latvia, Integrated in the E-Learning Environment of Higher Education" was a response to the need for sources in the history of education that would accommodate the interests of students in educational sciences. The article aims at sharing the project experience in (1) mapping the…

Because English language learners enter kindergarten at a distinct disadvantage, Celano and Neuman examine the role public libraries can play in rallying around these young children to better prepare them for school. The authors document a new program called Every Child Ready to Read, which recently launched in 4,000 public libraries across the…

Children and youth learn in countless ways, anywhere, anytime. And one of the most powerful levers of children's learning--from the early childhood years through adolescence--is families. For families, libraries provide the books, media, and activities that help them open doors for children's literacy and lifelong learning. Libraries are poised to…

Children's literature plays an essential role in the literacy development of children. This department column focuses on the teaching and use of children's literature and provides educators with information about a wide range of books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world in which we live. A strong emphasis is placed…

Artbooks, which are a combined form of picture and story book created using mixed media, can be a simple yet powerful way of supporting children affected by war and displacement to tell their stories. They allow children to work through the creative arts, which protects them from being overwhelmed by difficult memories. They also allow, even very…

This article examines the development of a bespoke primary source literacy module for the study of childhood in Ireland. The BA (Children's Studies) at National University of Ireland Galway is a unique interdisciplinary degree that equips students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the lives of children and childhood today. The…

Public libraries are heavily affected by political and policy-making processes that shape the funding, activities, and roles of libraries in society, with the explosion of information policy decisions in the past two decades significantly increasing the responsibilities of libraries while also increasing limitations on their activities. Research…

Kids on Earth is a free online collection of interviews with children and teenagers, 8 years old to 15 years old, living around the world and sharing details about their lives, hopes, dreams, and interests. It is a unique tool for learning about the world and the young people who live in it.

Until last year, PS 32 in Brooklyn, New York, had no working library for children. The 2009 graduating class of fifth graders had gone through their entire elementary school experience without checking out a book or doing research in a well-equipped school library. The library collection was limited. The shelves were half-empty. Books were shelved…

This essay challenges traditional assumptions about the small-town American public library and the roles it has played in its community. Conventional thinking and professional rhetoric grounded on a "user in the life of the library" perspective identifies the public library as a neutral agency "essential to democracy" that…

Technology may not be a magic wand, but innovative technology programming can genuinely help children become adept at navigating our increasingly wired world while also helping them develop deductive reasoning, math, and other vital literacy skills. One of the simplest and most powerful tools for technology-based public library programming is…

As high school enrollment continues to rise, the need for effective librarianship serving young adults is greater than ever before. "Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth," developed by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is a document outlining areas of focus for providing quality library service…

Children's librarians were active radio broadcasters as early as 1922, when American commercial radio was just beginning. As they utilized the new technology of radio to promote reading, literature and outreach, they transferred techniques and materials already familiar from their work in neighborhood libraries. This article documents children's…

Public libraries are redefining their roles in order to stay relevant to the needs of the communities they serve. Today, libraries are places where reading meets hands-on learning and where quietness coexists with voices and music. The latest advances in technology for children and teens, specifically, robotics sets and media-rich software, are…