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NPR investigation shows how the government tried to erase information about January 6
Education News · Environment & Sea Level Rise · Health · Military … The Justice Department deleted records of those cases. They scrubbed …
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My ALSC Board Lessons: Growth, Service and Leadership
For the past three years, I served as the new-to-ALSC Board Member. It was perhaps the most humbling, amazing, and unexpected experience of my professional career. Looking ahead to the transition of new Board members at ALA in Philadelphia, I’m incredibly grateful. Today, I’m sharing a few lessons from my Board tenure. Lesson #1: Step…
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Petal Playtime: Nature-Inspired Sensory Adventures for Babies
Nature’s sights, smells, and textures inspire adults daily. Why not explore that same inspiration with children? We wanted to create a nature-based program that would delight babies and their caregivers alike. Sensory play is a great way to engage multiple senses in learning, and nature offers many opportunities. Read on to learn how we created…
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My Top 5 Tips for a Successful School Visit
In my time as a Youth Services Librarian, I visited with thousands of school children each school year in the fall and spring months to promote books, reading, literacy, the library… and of course, Summer Reading! Here are my Top 5 Tips I can offer as you get ready to promote your Summer Reading program…
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Beyond Passwords: Privacy Literacy and Libraries
From online classes to around the clock connectivity, the digital world has altered the social and educational landscape for youth in almost unimaginable ways. Although the terrain has shifted, decades old policies and practices are often still in place. So what does it mean to advocate for privacy literacy? I was thrilled to join the…
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Host Puppets: Bringing Storytime Magic to Life
Do you ever use a host puppet in storytime? I added this practice to my repertoire when I joined my current library. Previously, storytimes were just me and the kids. Adding a host puppet felt uncomfortable and unnatural. Nearly ten years later, I can’t imagine storytimes without my trusty cat, Shadow. Still, host puppets intimidate…
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Meltdowns: Expecting the Unexpected in Storytime
Meltdowns. While we hope they won’t happen at the library, we know they probably will. Ask any storytime veteran: at some point, screaming, crying, or some other manner of meltdown will visit your storytime. What can you do? Today, I’m sharing five tips from my own storytime experience. Start storytimes with clear expectations. Assume that…
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Tried, True, New, and You: Home
Have you ever felt stuck in storytime planning? Sometimes, no matter how great a theme or the books, I find myself stuck in a proverbial storytime rut. While it’s great to share favorite stories, I also want to evaluate everything we share to find titles that resonate with our community. This month, I’m borrowing an…
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Heart disease remains leading cause of death as key health risk factors continue to rise | American Heart Association
Heart disease remains leading cause of death as key health risk factors continue to rise Fueled by ongoing increases in high blood pressure, obesity and other major risk factors, heart disease continues to kill more people in the U.S. than any other cause, according to the American Heart Association’s 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.…
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All In for Storytime: Tips for Library Staff at Every Level
Storytime is a core element of my daily work as a public librarian. In my library system, we host 32 in-building storytimes across five locations. For my branch, we staff seven storytimes across three days. This count doesn’t include our outreach or partnership storytimes. Supporting storytimes takes on many different facets. The size of your…
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Curiosity Preserved the (AV) Memories
“When did I get my first TV? When I was eight?” *Mom laughs* “More like when you were one…” Screenshot of Kayla Henry-Griffin as child from a collection of family Hi8 tapes. Family and technology have always been in the picture for me. They are intertwined, connected, and that bond can never be broken. I…
