2008 ALSC National Institute Registration now open
Contact: Aimee Strittmatter
Deputy Director, ALSC
(312) 280-2164
astrittmatter@ala.org
For Immediate Release,
April 29, 2008
2008 ALSC National Institute Registration now open<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
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Registration for the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) 2008 National Institute is now open with a discounted rate for students and special Early Bird pricing for ALSC members through June 30. The Institute will take place Sept. 18-20 at the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Utah. ALSC is a division of the American Library Association.
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ALSC’s National Institute is an intensive two-and-a-half day learning opportunity with a youth services focus. It is designed for youth library staff, children’s literature experts, education and library school faculty and other interested adults.
Institute attendees will participate in two of three exciting program tracks on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The tracks are “Technology and Children’s Services;” “Programming in the New Millennium;” and “Inspiring Lifelong Reading.”
Throughout the Institute, ALSC will feature a new Association Connection program to get new members roped in with seasoned ALSC members. Engaging networking activities and fun short programs will provide a fun and successful Institute experience for all participants.
At the Thursday dinner, Institute participants will receive a warm welcome address from 2008-2009 ALSC President Pat Scales. Laura Vaccaro Seeger, the recipient of both a 2008 Caldecott Honor and a 2008 Geisel Honor for “First the Egg” and author of “Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories” and “Black? White! Day? Night! A Book of Opposites,” named to the 2007 and 2008 Notable Children’s Book lists, respectively, will be the guest speaker for the evening.
The first ever “Breakfast for Bill,” funded by the William C. Morris Endowment, will be held Friday morning and feature the children’s book author/editor teams of Sharon Creech and Joanna Cotler and William Joyce and Laura Geringer. The breakfast will honor the memory of Morris by bringing librarians together with children’s book creators. Morris was a long time ALSC member and friend, recipient of the first ALSC Distinguished Service Award and an advocate for children’s librarians and literature.
Christopher Paul Curtis, author of the 2008 Newbery Honor book “Elijah of Buxton,” the 2000 Newbery Medal winner “Bud, Not Buddy” and the 1996 Newbery Honor book “The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963,” will present the keynote during the Friday lunch. A reception at the Salt Lake City Public Library on Friday evening will feature local authors and allow ample time for networking and socializing.
Three separate Saturday half-day workshops will focus on: “Blogging the Best Books,” “Nuts and Bolts of Author Visits” and “Programming for English Language Learners: outreach, programming, and best practices for serving young children and their families.”
Three optional tours will be available on Saturday afternoon, including a special tour of the Family History Library, a trip to the Springville Museum of Art featuring a Utah Children’s Illustrators exhibit, and a trip to historic Park City, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
For more details about events, presenters, registration and for hotel information, please visit the ALSC Institute Web site at www.ala.org/alscinstitute.
