MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Upcoming Events for Children's Librarians
NEW RATINGS ON ACL REVIEWS
As you may have read in last month's BayNews, the Association of Children's Librarians monthly reviews will have a new rating system. Look for the new ratings to begin in the January 2000 issue of BayViews. If you are a reviewer, don't forget to use the new review form with the following ratings. If you haven't picked up the new form, just download it from our website: www.bayviews.org
OUTSTANDING - Outstanding in its presentation of the genre, including style, consistency, design, accuracy, and consideration of audience. Books receiving this rating will be considered for the annual Distinguised Books List.
ADDITIONAL - Competent, but may be excelled in its field by other books. A useful addition to most library collections. Reviewers who wish to distinguish books at the high or low range of the broad Additional category may use the terms High Additional or Low Additional to so designate.
UNSATISFACTORY - Contains so many weaknesses in style, content, and/or book design, that it is not recommended for general library purchase.
ACL'S NEW WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING
Just in time for the year 2000, the Association of Children's Librarians has its own website. Check it out at: www.bayviews.org.
Designed by Doug and Elizabeth Overmyer, the website will include information concerning membership, upcoming monthly meetings and special events such as the Performers' Showcase and ACL Institute, sample reviews, and BayNews, the monthly newsletter that accompanies BayViews. You can also download the registration forms for special events, membership forms, and review forms.
With the website, members can check for special discussions which may take place at monthly meetings, or books nominated for the Distinguished list that need more readers. Members will also be able to email ACL with concerns regarding membership or subscriptions, or they can contribute articles by email for upcoming issues of BayNews.
Sights and Sounds: Media Watch
Awele Makeba. TELL THAT TALE AGAIN. Awele Storyteller, 1999. CD.
Many librarians and children who love storytelling know the name Awele Makeba. She has a new CD out on her own label, which captures her lively and distinctive voice. The CD contains seven of her signature stories, as well as a vocal rendition of the song "This Little Light Of Mine" by her grandmother.
Her first story, "Going Down South" describes her trip to Mississippi to visit family. Even though the story describes her experience with segregation, especially at a gas station where she wasn't allowed to use the restroom, the story is warmly humorous. A live audience can be heard laughing and participating in the call and response segments. "Grandma Ruth's False Teeth" is another personal, family story, but she bridges it to all her listeners who may have had similar experiences.
Traditional tales include "Why Dogs Hate Cats" which was inspired by a story from Zora Neale Hurston, Aesop's "Fox and Goat," and "Brer Possum, Brer Snake, & Brer Rabbit" with its memorable cautionary ending. Her most popular story in live performance is here as well - "Little 8 John." This slightly scary story of the misbehaving boy who meets up with Raw Head Bloody Bones really comes to life.
In fact, Awele Makeba has been able to achieve that rare feat of capturing her vibrant live performance on CD. Of course, nothing is as good as "in person," but this CD comes pretty close. The production is crystal clear, and the inclusion of audience participation and their reactions really gives it the immediacy of a live performance. This CD could never replace her live performances, but it serves as a great reminder of that experience, and is highly recommended for all libraries.
For prices and ordering information, write Awele Makeba, 2122 Lake Shore, Suite 206, Oakland, CA 94606, or FAX (51) 272-0312, or check out her website: www.awele.com
OF THE POTENT PAST
Seldom does one have the chance to re-live an experience and find it was all that it seemed in memory. I recently had this privilege when I discovered, quite by chance, that the Oakland Public Library had a copy of The Procedings of the Institute on Library Work with Children Held at the School of Librarianship, University of California, Berkeley, June 15-19, 1939, Under the Direction of Frances Clark Sayers.
This very modest volume contains all but one of the talks and succeeding discussions of that institute, and it even includes a list of those who attended (naturally, I checked my own name first, but it has interests other than the verification of my existence). The contributors were of top rank, an advantage doubtless made possible not only by the prestige of the parent institution but also by its position immediately prior to the ALA Convention, which in turn benefitted from the World's Fair on Treasure Island. It brought together nearly 400 people active in the children's book world - authors, publishers, librarians - who for three days took part in an immersion in that subject. Many of the participants stayed at the International House on the campus, where the sessions were held, so even daily living was in a saturated atmosphere.
The general impact was stimulation rather than inspiration. I find that what has stayed with me was the concrete rather than the theoretical and anecdotal. Even at the time I knew it was an important event, not likely to be duplicated. On the whole, the past was taken for granted, the emphasis was on the present and the future. This was no polite group listening to reiteration of accepted litanies. With the exception of the organizers, no one was prepared with for the bombshell that opened the program.
Howard Pease was not only the author of a popular group of books for boys (read avidly by girls as well) but was conversant with the general field of writing and reviewing of books presented for young people. After a conventional opening, to this group of possibly rather self-satisfied professionals he made one statement which picked up the character of the world of American children's books and set it down at a different angle. "This world of children's books is not a child's world. It is not a man's world. It is wholly and solely a woman's world - a completely feminine world." (I was personally gratified because even as a child I had always felt girls were given preference and assumed to be better than boys at home and at school; certainly I never felt passed over, and have always had a dim view of raucous feminists).
Mr. Pease continued with telling examples of this thesis whose impact was immediate, and instantly recognized. Indeed, I have always held him responsible for the fact that Sperry's Call It Courage won the Newbery Award the next year, instead of Gates' Blue Willow, which was my choice.
May Massee's talk was not available, but as Editor of Children's Books at Viking she was a power in her day, and her lists were dependably superior. Leora J. Lewis's account of building an encyclopedia (she was with the Compton Company) has stayed with me. Discussions of current illustrations and the mechanics of lithography (by Karl Kup and Conrad Buff, respectively), were gratifyingly useful.
I remember being astonished at the resemblance between Rene d'Harnoncourt and the man in his Hole In the Wall, but he contributed much more in a discussion of the variety and distribution of Native American groups - then a largely unknown subject to me and to many others - when he talked about the principles governing the arrangement of the Indian Court at the Fair. His ideas must have influenced many of his listeners in making future displays, as he expanded on the concept of the exhibit as a "three dimensional projection of a book." As did probably (I hope) Mildred Batchelder's discussion of booklists, subtitled, with the knowledgeability of experience, "an indulgence or a revelation." At some point, lists were identified as being guidance by remote control.
Publishers Weekly had been a staunch friend for years, in bookstore and library; it was a personal pleasure to find Frederic Melcher a participant in the program. I even remembered the first Book Week. It was a gift to have one of its founders share his recollections with us.
The final section of the conference was devoted quite logically, to the future, with an impersonal presentation of the case for having all work with children center in the schools. Despite her specific disavowal of personal conviction, Nell Unger (Librarian of the Portland Oregon Library Association), was doomed to be identified as an advocate of the concept for many years - poor woman - but she was quite capable of coping with the situation. Her presentation was balanced by he discussions of school and public library cooperation by Margaret V. Girdner, and children's use and reactions to books in China and New York City by Ruth A. Hill (Viguers) which now seem rather self-indulgent.
That afternoon was actually the final session and it wasn't really anti-climactic, but the "jewel" of the institute came to us in the morning, when Ella Young told two stories and gave an example of the honor accorded the ancient craft of the Irish storyteller. As I remember, she seemed incredibly old, garbed dramatically in black, and was presented the way a precious and fragile artifact might be displayed. Everyone rose in her honor and her telling of the tales justified the presentation. This session was opened by a discussion of the real values of storytelling by Elizabeth Nesbitt of the Carnegie Library School. I have always remembered it as being the final program; it was a slight shock to discover from the program that it was not.
I have been lucky. A publication I didn't know existed has opened the door to a room in the past which has been a part of my structure, and let me live in it again. Good luck, indeed.
SISTER CITY RECEIVES BOOKS
The City of Richmond, California recently entered into a Friendship City relationship with Regla, Cuba. Regla is a small city next to Havana which shares many demographic, geographic and industrial base similarities with Richmond. I expect to be going to Cuba from Dec. 9-19, 1999 as part of a City of Richmond "Friendship City" delegation. The purpose of the trip is to exchange information and to bring humanitarian aid.
As the only "cultural ambassador" I am bringing some children's books to donate to the library in Regla. At the ACL meeting of Nov. 18, 1999, the members were generous enough to donate several books from the book sale to this purpose. Each book will have a book plate with the following in English and Spanish:
"This book is a gift from the librarians of the Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California (ACL) to the children of Regla, Cuba, December, 1999."
WEBSITES FOR CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS
www.ethnohtec.org
Award-winning
storytelling troupe Ethnohtec has a new website with lots of useful features.
Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo and Nancy Wang have performed all around the world, but
are headquartered in San Francisco where they have a very loyal following.
Looking to find out where and when they are performing? The website has their calendar. It also contains information about their new training program, their email and snail mail addresses and phone number.
The design of the website is very professional, opening with a dramatic photo set on a black background. The artwork, color, and graphics are very striking. Other performers may want to check out this website as a model, as it reflects Ethnohtec's sophistication and professionalism.
www.vaultreports.com
Any
librarians looking to move into the private sector? Then this website is for
you. The Vault Report bills itself as the "insider career network,"
and deservedly so. This extensive listing of careers, mentioning pluses and
minuses, potential job market, and many other useful tidbits can help those
thinking of switching careers.
For example, the information on publishing listed the best employers (Scholastic was one), the acceptance of women, minorities, and gays in the industry, pay expectations, and other pertinent information. The website is attractive and very easy to use.
This website would also be very useful for all those high school students who have to write career/vocation reports. The entries are relatively thorough, but not overly long, and the language is friendly, and not too technical. Tell your reference librarians about this one.
www.euronet.nl/users/jubo/balutis.html
Last
November, an NPR program featured a young man who has his own website where he
reviews young adult books. Adam Balutis is a teen, who began reviewing books for
young adults as a volunteer at the Arlington, VA Public Library. His encouraging
librarians brought him to some ALA conferences, and he started to meet
publishers and others interested in his point of view.
Adam's website is very easy to use, listing the books he as reviewed by author and title. Each review is well-written but not academic; his tone is similar to the best movie reviewers. He obviously enjoys reading and literature, but is quick to point out books that may be corny (Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul), or overly gimmicky (Making Up Megaboy). His reviews also convey a sharp but not vicious sense of humor.
www.kcls.org/webkids/chresour.html
The
Kings County Library System has a great website for preschool teachers and
daycare providers, which also lists lots of useful information for those
librarians who conduct preschool storytimes.
The website lists the "Books to Grow On" boxes that patrons can check out. When you click on the topic of a particular box, like Spiders, you can get the words to related fingerplays as well as a description of related games and art projects. The only thing that is not listed are the suggested books, but many children's librarians already know what books they want to use, they just need the fingerplay and craft suggestions.
Another handy aspect of the website are the links to other pages. One of the most useful is www.perpetualpreschool.com which lists lots of activities for different holidays and culture celebrations. The activities include arts and crafts, games, and other things that would be very welcome at a library storytime.