Public Library Association
The Public Library Association (PLA) is a division of the American Library Association. As someone who hopes to work in public libraries, being a part of this organization will help me stay current in the field, collaborate with other professionals, and build my network. It will also allow me to grow my knowledge about the unique characteristics and challenges of working in public libraries.
Association for Library Service to Children
The ALSC is another division of the American Library Association that is focused on enhancing library service for children. This organization is especially important to me because of my interest in working in youth and family services. Joining this organization will allow me to connect and collaborate with others who have similar passions, stay up to date on best practices, programming, and community outreach ideas, and access continued professional development opportunities.
Virginia Library Association
The VLA is an organization that is focused on improving library and information services and advocating for literacy access for all Virginians. Of particular interest to me is their Youth and Family Services Forum, which allows people who are working in this field to connect on topics of interest and share resources, ideas, questions, and concerns. I can see this type of interactive platform as being very useful to me as I embark on a future career in youth services.
Virginia State Reading Association
The VSRA is an organization that was valuable to me in my previous work as an elementary reading specialist, and will continue to be as I transition into public library work with youth and families. Its mission is to promote literacy throughout the state of Virginia, share research based best practices and advocate for equity, access, and inclusion in literacy. This will be important for me to continue to stay knowledgeable about as I support and partner with families and schools as a public youth librarian.
Teen Librarian Toolbox
As a former elementary school teacher for 14 years, I am most comfortable with younger children; however, I have been feeling drawn to the pre-teen and teenage age group lately. I know that I still have quite a bit to learn about engaging, understanding, and supporting kids this age, and this blog from the School Library Journal will be a great resource to help me navigate through it all. It provides young adult book lists and reviews, information on teen issues, teen programming ideas, and professional development resources.
https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/
In the Library with the Lead Pipe
In the Library with the Lead Pipe is an open, peer-reviewed, online journal that publishes articles from a wide variety of library professionals who have diverse perspectives. I was introduced to their content in my first class on Library Foundations, with an article about the vocational awe that tends to surround the librarian profession. Since then I have really enjoyed reading the articles on this blog because they tackle hot topics that can be controversial, in a thought-provoking way. Staying current on the publications will allow me to be more well rounded and knowledgeable as an LIS professional.
https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/
Public Libraries Online
Public Libraries Online is the website of “Public Libraries” magazine, which is created by the Public Library Association (PLA). It provides online access to the articles along with opportunities for interaction between readers. The content features current issues and topics that are relevant in the world of public librarianship, and will be very valuable in my future work. Examples include “How To” articles (for example, how to flip your libraries collection), podcasts, book reviews, interviews with authors, current research, best practices, and more.
http://publiclibrariesonline.org/
American Libraries Magazine
American Libraries Magazine is a publication by the American Library Association. I really enjoy the articles they publish as well as the additional media and resources they feature. They have podcasts, which will be great to listen to while driving, running, or working around the house, the JobLIST site for future job searching, and American Libraries Live- interactive webcast discussions with other LIS professionals on current topics and issues. I know that this will be a site that I will continue to use and reference for years to come in my career.
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/
Booklist
As a book lover I am constantly on the hunt for new books to add to my “want to read” list; however, I know that I tend to stick to my own personal preferences in terms of genres, authors, and topics when choosing books. I love Booklist Online because it is a great place to go to learn about new and recommended books across all age groups, interests, genres, and topics. Their content is available both in print and digitally and features book reviews, trend alerts, themed book lists, book awards, episodes of their podcast “Shelf Care,” interviews, and regular live webinars. This will be a very important resources in my future work as a public librarianship when providing readers advisory to my patrons and building my collections.
https://www.booklistonline.com/
Family Place Libraries
Family Place Libraries are an initiative that I am very interested in learning more about. They provide programming, services, and resources that involve the entire family together as one unit. This is something that I strongly believe can make a significant impact in building literacy and a love of learning in our communities, and it aligns with my vision as a future Youth and Family Services Librarian. On their website, they state that, “The overall goal of Family Place Libraries is to develop and institutionalize a family friendly environment by transforming libraries into community centers for literacy, early childhood development, parent education and engagement, family support and community information” (Family Place Libraries, n.d., What is a Family Place Library? section).
https://www.familyplacelibraries.org/
Center for the Future of Libraries
The Center for the Future of Libraries is an initiative by the ALA that works to identify emerging trends and issues. The website features detailed explanations of each future trend including how it’s developing, why it matters, examples from real libraries, and linked resources for more information. It also offers newsletters and articles on the latest news and developments in the library world. This will be a good resource for me to save and refer back to in the future in order to stay informed and one step ahead of library trends.
https://www.ala.org/tools/future
