Pictures: ALA2008 photostream www.flickr.com
Session Report
Submitted
By Karen Burns
I would like to thank Greg
Schellenberg, J. B. Fitzpatrick, Terry Bouck and the
Information and
Technology Literacy
Eating the Elephant 2.0 One Bite at a Time:
Using the Read-Write Web in Classrooms
and Libraries &
E-Books, E-Kids, E-Flat! Three trends schools
and libraries will ignore at their peril
Presenter: Doug
Johnson
https://dougjohnson.wikispaces.com/Dippingguide
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/
We spent this day looking at all
kinds of social networking tools, eBooks like Amazon’s Kindle related to school
use, the different challenges in educating today’s 21st century
learners, and Internet safety and responsibility. J.B. and Kris are already
encouraging the use of Web 2.0 by providing a safe but more open technology
environment and providing applications like the Peninsula District Google Docs
account. The tools available to enhance our work with students are expanding in
number every day. Our students are living in a 21st century world
with or without us and I welcomed the opportunity to at least move toward
meeting them halfway.
Science Fiction and Fantasy: Looking at
Information Technology and the Information Rights of the Individual
Although based on
books, this session focused on information both as the rights of the individual
to privacy and as the newer outlook toward copyright and ownership of work vs.
sharing through Web2.0 and Creative Commons copyright. Four writers shared
including Cory Doctorow whose new YA book is all about rights and what happens
when Homeland Security goes too far.
Article
on Young Adult Science Fiction by Doctorow
Technology Poster
Session
There were two highlights of this session. One was a library portal
with many features that could enhance access to Destiny, our district system. The
system combines Web 2.0 features with the library catalog. From the site:
What is Fish? 
Fish4Info is a next generation
library portal that seeks to make the library catalog a socially engaging
destination by integrating web 2.0 technology with the catalog.
From book reviews, to forums, comments and tags; fish4info makes the library
website an interactive social community.
Because it uses Drupal, a free open-source content management system, it may be well worth looking into: http://fish4info.org/
Andy Austin and Christopher Harris, recently co-authored
the Drupal
in Libraries Library Technology Report, looking at how Drupal is being used
in libraries. The report looks at several case studies, including Fish4Info,
and provides a plain language approach to getting started with Drupal.
The other highlight was an online Zine called Blended for student writing and art created for and by teens:
Print copies are also provided to avoid leaving any teen
in the county out because they lack the technology to access the online version.
Reading Support and Advocacy
YA Literature, Graphic Novels, and Books on Popular Culture:
How Do They Attract Reluctant Readers?
Holly Black Barry Lyga Kazo Kibuishi
Photos: ALA, Follett, Publisher’s Weekly
Three of the top authors writing about teen culture
through novels and the graphic format discussed what this work does to attract
and support reluctant readers.
Holly Black
Because her husband is dyslexic, Holly has learned to make
sure her books are “paying out” and that the pacing is pulling the reader
through. She believes that the fantasy genre has to be a way to talk about real
life in a slanted way. It appeals to reluctant readers and others because it
takes the blame and why of a condition away (werewolves as an example) for the
reader.
Barry Lyga
Barry believes that reluctant readers are often “kids who
can read but don’t want to”. In Fan Boy
and Goth Girl he wrote short chapters with cliffhanger endings to keep
reluctant readers involved. He says that both realistic fiction and fantasy
teach kids how to grow up. He also stresses Howard Gardner’s work on multiple
intelligences and the fact that the graphic format can be more challenging
because the brain must synthesize two media at the same time.
Kazo Kibuishi
Kazo spoke of how graphic format works provide a bridge to
literacy through visual storytelling. He feels the format is especially helpful
for ELL learners.
Reading Pictures: The
Language of Wordless Books
The definition of literacy in the 21st century
must include visual literacy. Images of all kinds must be read, decoded and
understood to be a learner today. The authors of David Berona and Eric Drooker
were joined by other experts in the form, Charles Hatfield and Perry Willett,
and presented an informative session on the history and understanding of the
form. These books without words cross cultural and language barriers because
they can be universally understood. The reader plays an essential role in
bringing the story to life and is encouraged to be more aware of the creative
act of reading according to Hatfield. Wordless books were the precursors of the
graphic novel and were first popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Wordless books are
again emerging as an alternate literary form. We have some wonderful examples
that were mentioned at this session in our library at GHHS.
Visual Literacy Ain’t
Just Watching Ads
Conferences always have more excellent sessions than there
is time to attend. Another session about visual literacy took place at a time
when I couldn’t attend, but additional information about the session can be
found at this site:
21st Century
Literacies: Tools for Reading the World
Research Fuels the
Author’s Fire
Tanya Lee Stone shared her research for writing biographies for young
people.
One writer’s take on the joys and challenges
of picture-book biographies
By Tanya Lee Stone -- School Library Journal,
11/1/2007
The
biography. It is a form that takes many shapes as writers seek to translate the
lives of people who fascinate them into something tangible, something they can
hold in their hands. Biographies can be thematic, chronological, collective,
exhaustive, or sparse. Some are visual—photo biographies, graphic-novel
biographies, and picture-book biographies. It is the latter that intrigue me
most, as this form strives to capture that which is least tangible—the essence
of an individual’s life.
Young Adult Author Coffee
Klatch
Trueman and Asher Kadohata/Anderson Shusterman Scziesca Castellucci and Green Lyga
Best
Books for Young Adults 2008: Breakfast with the best writers for young
adults.
The coffee klatch is an opportunity to talk directly to
young adult literature authors and ask them questions about their work. The participants sit still and the authors
travel from table to table spending 5 minutes at each table. I got to spend
time with Jay Asher, Neal Shusterman, John Green, Stephanie Hemphill, David
Levithan, A. M. Jenkins, Eleanor Ramroth Garner, Adrian Fogelin and Terry
Trueman. These authors are popular with the students at GHHS.
Special Programs and Events
Many Voices, Many Nations
Washington’s own Sherman Alexie, recent winner of the
National Book Award for his first young adult novel, was one of many Native
poets, storytellers and musicians who presented at this opening program
celebration of diversity.
Dean Koontz 
Many popular adult authors and celebrities spoke in the
speaker series. I only had time to listen to Dean Koontz, whose popular Odd
Thomas series is a favorite at GHHS. A graphic format prequel has been added to
the series as well.
American Association of
School Librarians with Speaker Wendy Mass
Another opportunity to hear about the
writing process from a great YA author.
Newbery/Caldecott Awards
Banquet
Often the Caldecott and Newbery awards go to books for
younger readers. This year was an exception and the perfect year to attend the
event as a high school librarian. We have the Caldecott winner, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and one of the
honor books, The Wall. The Newbery
went to Laura Amy Schiltz for Good
Masters! Sweet Ladies!. The acceptance speeches and celebration happens at
the national conference.
Brian Selznick 
Peter Sis
Kadir Nelson Mo Willems
Laura Amy Schiltz is also the author of a great YA
melodrama.
Woodson Schmidt
Curtis
Geraldine
McCaughrean
2008 Honor Books
|
|
|
|
|
Coretta
Scott King Award Breakfast
Coretta Scott King Winner Honor Books
From Twelve Rounds to Glory
$
Financial Report
Because
major publishers give away so many books for free, attendance at the national
conference is a good cost investment beyond the professional growth
opportunities already described.
District Funds:
(Rounded)
Travel $300
Hotel $700
Registration $600
Meals $200
Total $1800
Karen Burns’ Funds:
(Rounded)
Book
Purchases $80
Postage (7
boxes) $80
Value of Books Acquired: $1470
|
Author |
Title |
District Cost |
My Cost |
If Purchased |
|
Alender |
Bad Girls Don't Die |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Almond / |
The Savage |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Anderson, Laurie Halse |
Chains |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
Anderson, M. T. |
Octavian Nothing-2 |
0 |
0 |
40 |
|
Aronson |
War Is… |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
Avery |
The Teahouse Fire |
0 |
0 |
21 |
|
Avi |
Hard Gold |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Barry / Pearson |
Science Fair |
0 |
0 |
16 |
|
Booth |
Kendra |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Broach |
Masterpiece |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
Brooks |
Selkie Girl |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Busby |
The Year We Disappeared |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Colfer |
Artemis Fowl Time Paradox |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
Collins |
Hunger Games |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
Cornish |
Lamplighter |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Cowley |
The Golden Bull |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Crawford |
Carter Finally Gets It |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
DuPrau |
The Diamond of Darkhold |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Ferraiolo |
The Big Splash |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Finn |
Anila's Journey |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Fletcher |
Ironhand |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
|
Title: 1632 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Fogelin |
The Real Question |
0 |
12 |
14 |
|
Franco |
Falling Hard |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Funke |
Inkdeath |
0 |
0 |
21 |
|
Gilman |
Devil's Breath |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Grant |
Blue Flame |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Green |
Paper Towns |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Green |
Looking for |
0 |
3 |
8 |
|
Greenberg |
Side by Side |
0 |
5 |
17 |
|
Greenberg, Michael |
Hurry Down Sunshine |
0 |
0 |
21 |
|
Hardie |
The Rose Labyrinth |
0 |