Hear Ye! Hear Ye! | November 2025

Professional development is just a click away with ALSC eLearning. Check out these upcoming learning opportunities.

Webinar: Creating and Advocating for Nature-Smart Libraries
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 12:00pm-1:00pm CT
This webinar is free to ALSC members as a benefit of their membership.

ALSC is sponsoring a discussion with colleagues from the Nature Everywhere Communities partnership about the newly released Nature-Smart Libraries Toolkit. The online guide highlights nature-centered initiatives nationwide, showcasing library collaborations and partnerships that expand access to nature. Whether you want to consider adding nature, sustainability, and environmental themes to existing programs; transform the green space around your library into a pollinator garden, outdoor story nook, or nature-focused story walk trail; or expand collections to support nature exploration, this discussion is for you.

eCourse: American Sign Language with Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide
January 5 - February 15, 2026

American Sign Language (ASL) is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, programming expert and signing storyteller Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children. In addition to learning basic ASL vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, participants will learn techniques to share stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL.

Learn more about ALSC's continuing education opportunities!

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The first ALSC & YALSA Reunification Town Hall, led by the ALSC & YALSA Working Group, was held on October 29 via Zoom. The working group shared next steps for the reunification and responded to member feedback, concerns, and questions. A recording of the meeting is available for those who were unable to attend. Another town hall will be held next spring. For more information about the reunification, visit the FAQs page.

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Is 2026 your year to join the Día celebration and connect your community's children and families with diverse stories and languages? Día resources enable libraries to promote literacy for all!

National Día Program Registry 2026. Share your programs and get inspired! The Día Program Registry allows you to showcase your diversity programming and discover new ideas from library colleagues nationwide. By adding your events to the database, you will contribute to growing the 2026 Día program map and data table.

Learn more and complete the program submission form at the Program Registry webpage.

Free resources for download! Use our eye-catching graphics to promote your Día events in social media. The 2026 Día reading lists - in English and Spanish - will be available in February. They are a great resource for introducing children and families to stories that celebrate diverse cultures.

In addition to ALSC's Día resources, the Children's Book Council shared a list this summer of multilingual board books for ages 0-3. The resource is also available as a downloadable spreadsheet.

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Applications are currently open for two ALSC professional awards.

The Penguin Random House Young Readers Group Award, made possible by an annual gift from Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children's Books, provides a $1,200 stipend to up to two children's librarians to attend their first ALA Annual Conference. Here's your opportunity to join us in Chicago next June for the premiere library event of the year. Hurry! Applications are due this Saturday, November 15, 2025.

Learn more about these and other ALSC awards by visiting the Professional Awards & Grants webpages.

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The 2026 Children's Literature Lecture Award committee chose the Kerlan Collection of Children's Literature, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, as the host site for the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture featuring Cynthia Leitich Smith. Smith (Muscogee Nation) is The New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books for children and young adults. Her 2018 book Hearts Unbroken won the 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Award. Smith is the curator of Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, focused on Native authors for children and young adults.

The lecture will be held in April 2026 – the exact date and further details will be announced as soon as available.

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ALSC and AASL, in partnership with The Pokémon Company International, are excited to announce a new initiative – the Pokémon Club program! Participants receive a kit to run friendly, inclusive spaces in which young players can learn and develop skills through the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Club members can learn strategic thinking, math, reading comprehension, and creativity. Learn more and apply now. (Note: You MUST be an ALSC or AASL member to participate.)

Are you unsure if hosting a Pokémon Club is right for your library? Join us for an insightful webinar on November 13 from 3:00-4:00 pm ET to explore how Pokémon Clubs can be a powerful tool for engaging students and fostering essential skills! You’ll leave with practical strategies and fresh ideas to bring this dynamic world of play into your learning spaces.

In this session, you will:

• Explore ways to integrate Pokémon Clubs into your afterschool and library programs through the Pokémon and American Library Association partnership.
• Discover how to design activities that support social-emotional and intrapersonal skill development.
• Understand the research behind gamification and the educational value of play.
• Learn what's included in the official Pokémon Club Kit — featuring scaffolded activities, resources, and prizes — and how to tailor them for different grade levels and community needs.

Participants will walk away with actionable insights to launch and sustain a club that sparks curiosity, builds community, and connects young people to strategic thinking, literacy, creativity, and joy.

Register at: https://info.iste.org/running-a-pokemon-club-in-your-school-or-library

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During the February 2025 Board Meeting, the ALSC Board moved to establish a task force to explore the fiscal solvency of the Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Awards Banquet.

The Task Force is currently seeking feedback from past Banquet attendees to help inform consideration of the event and encourage both fiscal sustainability and meaningful experiences for attendees.

Please complete the survey by Wednesday, November 26, 2025, and send it to friends or colleagues who may also have feedback to share.

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It may not feel like it, but ALSC’s 2026 National Institute is just around the corner. Join us in Buffalo, New York, from October 1-3, 2026, to Play. Learn. Connect. The Planning Task Force is hard at work creating dynamic general sessions, even more education programs, meaningful networking opportunities, and more. You won’t want to miss out on two incredible days of professional development – and fun! Visit the ALSC website to learn more, including registration rates, hotel costs, and tentative schedules.

PS – Do you work with teens? Do you have a colleague focused on teen services? We’re excited to announce a one-day, stand-alone event specifically focused on teen programs and services! Teen Services Development Day will function as a stand-alone event, but if attendees want to stay for the National Institute, they’ll be able to do so at a discounted rate! Stay tuned for more information!

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Did you know that ALA's Sustainability Round Table curates an annual list of notable children’s books on nature, conservation, and communities? The list includes fiction and nonfiction titles and reflects the mission of SustainRT “to exchange ideas and opportunities regarding sustainability in order to move toward a more equitable, healthy, and economically viable society." Check out the Google document of 2025 titles!

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The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries is accepting applications now through December 31 for grants to update and diversify school library collections. Grant applications are open to public, private, and parochial schools that have a school library. Public schools must have a Title I designation, and private schools must have at least 50% of the student population qualify for financial aid to be eligible. For complete details, visit the foundation's website.

Photo credit: The Bush Center Newsroom

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