Pre-K Teachers, Braille Books and Summer Reading Contests

FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS:

Zero to Three Project
(Courtesy Saroj Ghoting who posted to the ALSC listserv)

What has a more powerful influence on how parents raise their young children: the way they were raised or their faith? What roles do professionals and friends play in shaping parents’ views on childrearing? What impact is the economic downturn having on child care arrangements for young families?

These questions and more are some of the issues addressed in a new national parent survey of 1,615 parents of children from birth to 3 years conducted for ZERO TO THREE by Peter Hart Research. The survey was designed to explore the issues and challenges that parents of young children confront today, gaps in knowledge about early development, sources of information and support to which parents turn, and factors that influence their approaches to parenting.

The survey was conducted between June 4th and 11th 2009 and was funded by MetLife Foundation. The research includes an oversample of 200 African American and 200 Hispanic parents.

See http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/parenting-resources/parenting-survey.html for the full report, webinar and other resources.



BRAILLE BOOK RESOURCES
(courtesy Shonda Brisco, Oklahoma State University)

Seedlings
http://www.seedlings.org/
(twin vision books)

National Braille Press
http://www.nbp.org/
great resources, as well as hand-outs for instructional courses with teachers on the use of Braille with K-12 students

WonderBaby
http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/braille-resources.html

American Printing House for the Blind
http://www.aph.org/

New Jersey State Library for the Blind
http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/Disabilities/dsresrcs.php

New Jersey State Library Talking Books
http://njsltbbc.org/

AND ATTENTION NJ YOUTH READERS!

A SUMMER READING CONTEST! (you can win concert tickets and a signed jersey)

The Statewide Summer Reading Program is partnering with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority (owner and operator of the IZOD Center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex) to encourage reading and readers

Join the Statewide Summer Reading Program at your local public library and you can win
4 tickets to select family events at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

Just enter the name of a book read at the njlibrarychampions.org website (http://www.njlibrarychampions.org/) under the link to “contest and events.”

Then enter the contest by filling out the entry form using Survey Monkey!

PRIZES:
Wiggles Concert
Sesame Street Live
A signed jersey from NJ Devils player Zach Parise

Harlem Book Fair 2010

The 2010 Harlem Book Fair took place this past weekend at the NYPL Schomburg Branch

If you missed it, some of the events are archived on C-SPAN's Book TV.

The most important message from the panel discussions for librarians, teachers and parents was that if we want to see an increase in quality youth materials, representative of peoples of African descent and their history and culture, then we must SEEK OUT these materials at book fairs, libraries, and book stores; PURCHASE these materials and DEMAND that our SCHOOL LIBRARIES and CLASSROOMS contain these materials. These materials are not just for African American youth but contain universal themes for all readers. To prepare our youth for a diverse world, we have to provide them with materials that reflect that diversity.

The Program included some very stimulating and revealing panel discussions of interest to librarians and teachers. I have included both the descriptions and links to the archived videos.:

2010 HARLEM BOOK FAIR PROGRAM & SCHEDULE

SCHOMBURG C-SPAN PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Complete Saturday program
http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2010/07/17/HP/A/35566/Harlem+Book+Fair.aspx


Of particular interest

White and Whatever: Diversity in Children’s & Young Adult Book Publishing
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/294543-5


The United States is an extremely diverse nation. But books for children and young adults hardly reflect that diversity. Only a small percentage of the books published every year are written and or illustrated by people of color. Many of these don’t make it to the market place. Why, in 2010, when the nation has elected its first African American president, is the book publishing industry still not meeting the need and demand for books that explore the width and breathe of our country’s multicultural experiences? This panel will explore the complex issues and suggest solutions to a problem that is garnering a lot of attention.

MODERATOR: Wade Hudson, Publisher, Just Us Books

PANELISTS: Jerry Craft, Mamma's Boyz; Zetta Elliott, Bird; Cheryl Willis Hudson, My Friend Maya Loves to Dance; Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati, Publicist; Director, African American Children's Book Project


From Digital Divide to Digital Inequality: Bridging the Market-driven Literacy Gap
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/294543-7

The advent of digital technology has redefined the very scope of literacy. While African American literacy rates are statistically on par with national averages, the advent of the market-driven digital age threatens timely access to information to the most economically disparaged...less a 'digital divide' than a 'information access' divide. Inequality of bandwidth; autonomy of use; skills level; quality of support; and purpose (whether the Internet is used for increase of economic productivity and improvement of social capital or for consumption and entertainment) are the current pressing concerns. These authors believe that visual representation is the one critical element that will balance the impact of these emerging issues and drive a new generation of readers successfully into this brave, new world.

MODERATOR: John Jennings, Black Comix: African American Independent Comics, Art and Culture (Mark Batty Publisher/Random)

PANELISTS: Damian Duffy, Out of Sequence: Underrepresented Voices in American Comics (Krannert Art Museum), Dawud Anyabwile, Brotherman; Alex Simmons, DarkJACK; Gregory Walker, ZM1