As a future Virginia librarian, the Virginia Library Association will be an important resource for my career. Being a member of the VLA will allow me to stay updated on news and legislation relevant to Virginia libraries. The VLA offers an annual conference which brings together librarians from Virginia to meet, learn, and collaborate.
Virginia Association of School Librarians is a local organization that promotes learning and development for librarians in Virginia. Joining this organization will allow me to network with other Virginia librarians and will open the door to collaboration at the many conferences offered by VaASL.
Kirkus Reviews will be a very helpful resource for the selection process in my future library. With reviews written by trusted and reputable authors, Kirkus is a reliable source for selection aid. Kirkus offers reviews on newly published books, and provides “best of” book lists and awards.
Similar to Kirkus, The Horn Book Guide will be vital in my selection process. Offering critical book reviews from reputable professionals and organized by level, The Horn Book Guide will help me find the best books and resources to add to my library collection. HBG also offers a blog with additional “best books” lists and informational articles such as Awareness Weeks.
American Libraries Magazine is a website and magazine that will keep me up to date with ALA news, legislation, and current library issues and trends in the US and around the world. It offers research based articles, professional development opportunities, and other areas of interest for the library science community. American Libraries also hosts an informational podcast.
Published by the American Library Association, Booklist is yet another reputable review source to guide me in my selection process. Booklist comes in the form of a magazine, and has an online strand, Booklist Online. Signing up for Booklist Newsletters is a way to stay up to date with book reviews, receive library tips, and other useful library-land information.
Book Riot is a blog that provides a great deal of information, and also entertainment, all relating to the library world. Book Riot is not only an online presence, but also a podcast. Book Riot writes about books, publishers, and generally all things reading. Its “children” section will be helpful in selecting new books for the collection, and will offer insight on trending topics surrounding children’s books.
As a teacher in Virginia Beach, the Virginia Beach Public Library is a fantastic resource and community partner. The Virginia Beach Public Library offers outreach programs and partnerships, working with schools to promote reading throughout the school year and also throughout the summer via summer reading programs.
The Virginia Department of Education website is one that I frequent when creating lessons for the classroom, and will be one that I keep in my pocket for creating library lessons. As the standards change, it’s important for me as a librarian to stay up-to-date with the changes to ensure that the lessons are relevant to its learners.
Twitter is a great resource for librarians and teachers alike. Sharing ideas with other educators is vital for staying current and gaining new ideas. Staying connected with other professionals in the field as well as professional organizations on Twitter are ways to support one another and showcase all of the wonderful activities happening in librarians around the world. Some accounts that I follow are @yalsa, @bookriot, @sljournal
Instagram is another social media platform that is widely used by educators and professionals. Sharing lesson ideas, new books and book releases, bulletin boards, and classroom activities are only a few ways that Instagram can be beneficial for librarians. Many authors and publishers have Instagram accounts that feature new releases and titles. Some Instagram accounts I follow to stay current are @Leeandlow, which is America’s largest children’s book publisher specializing in diversity, and @Mrsreaderpants, a school librarian who shares a plethora of resources.
Social media and professional organizations aren’t the only resources that librarians should keep handy, but also online digital tools. Canva is a favorite digital tool of mine (featured in my Conference Presentation), used for endless possibilities including newsletters, infographics, book reviews, flyers, and more. Canva is accessible for users of all ages- students and educators- with premade templates to fill in, or starting from scratch. Canva has free and premium options, with many features for both!
School Library Journal (SLJ) is a resource for any librarian that works in a school setting or with children. Users can find information such as book reviews, current events, newly released titles, book lists, and articles on best practices. This website is a wealth of knowledge for new librarians or veteran librarians alike. I’ve used SLJ many times through my MLIS journey and know this is a publication that I will reference frequently in my career as a librarian.
The Call Number podcast by American Libraries is hosted by Phil Morehart. The podcast is compiled of monthly episodes that discuss news and events in the library world. Each episode features a new guest for a conversation with the host, including librarians, authors, and scholars. This podcast is a great way for librarians to get different perspectives about topics surrounding the library, and to stay current with library issues.
Resources:
American Libraries. (2021). American libraries. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/
American Libraries. (2022). Call number podcast. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/tag/al-podcast/
Booklist. (2021). Booklist: Leading book discovery. https://www.booklistonline.com/SearchResults.aspx
Book Riot. (2021). Book riot. www.bookriot.com
Canva. (2022). Canva. http://www.canva.com
City of Virginia Beach. (2021). Virginia Beach public library. https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/libraries/Pages/home.aspx
The Horn Book. (2021). The horn book. https://www.hbook.com/
Instagram. (2022). Instagram. http://www.instagram.com
Kirkus Reviews. (2021). Kirkus. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/
School Library Journal. (2022). School library journal. www.slj.com
Twitter. (2022). Twitter. www.twitter.com
Virginia Association of School Librarians. (2021). Virginia association of school librarians. https://www.vaasl.org/
Virginia Department of Education. (2021). Virginia department of education. https://www.doe.virginia.gov/
Virginia Librarian Association. (2021). Virginia library association. vla.org