JLG selects Caldecott & Newbery winners for 20 years

By: Sarah Cooke | September 11, 2019 |

Our renowned Editorial team has long been on the forefront of selecting books that go on to earn starred reviews, industry awards, honors and prestigious acclaim. Case in point: They've selected the Newbery and Caldecott Medal winners nearly every year for the last 20 years (before they were even published!).

ALA 2019: The week I became a library

By: Rhonda Mihalic | July 01, 2019 |

I asked myself, “If you had to sum up your ALA experience in three words, what would they be?” Easy, I thought: Inspiration, innovation and interaction.

JLG Titles Dominate Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards

By: Sarah Cooke | June 17, 2019 |

The 2019 Excellence in Graphic Literature (EGL) Award winners were recently announced at the Denver Pop Culture Con, and the competition was stiff.JLG's Graphic Novel categories are among our most popular—and we are thrilled to see so many JLG selections honored in this year's EGL Awards!

Countdown to summer reading

By: Julia Bannon | May 03, 2019 |

It’s time to get ready for your summer reading program! With this year’s theme celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the moon landing, we’ve got lots of ideas for you to make this the best summer yet. Launch into a summer of space with great books, STEM activities and display ideas.

Forgiving fines through reading gets more kids into the library

By: Julia Bannon | April 05, 2019 |

A librarian’s dream is to have every seat in their library filled with eager young readers. But what if kids stay away because of fines? One library system is allowing kids to read their fines away - and it’s bringing students back in droves.

Webcast Recap: Enrich Your Summer Reading Program: Tips and Resources K-12

By: Deborah B. Ford | May 09, 2017 | Shelf Life

In our webcast today, my guest Nick Glass, Founder and Executive Director of TeachingBooks.net, and I talked about creative ways to promote summer reading programs, from supporting student choices using recommended booklists to modeling booktalks after Meet-the-Author book readings...and much more. Read More

Webcast Recap: 4 Ways to Strengthen Diversity in Your Library Program

By: Deborah B. Ford | February 09, 2017 | Shelf Life

In our webcast today, I shared four ways to strengthen diversity in your library program. As I said, every effort you make towards inclusion and diversity matters to someone. By being aware, keeping up with the literature, shaking up your programming and bringing in outside resources, the impact you can make is so valuable. Read More

Going to Prison

By: Deborah B. Ford | December 13, 2016 | Shelf Life

That's right. I'm going to prison. I've got one more trip to make this year and it's to a correctional institution. The inmates are young men, aged 18-21. Before they are released, they must also complete their GED. I'll be working with their teachers, providing resources for differentiation, lesson plans, and other resources. Offline. Yes. Offline. Read More

Webcast Recap: A Hat, a Pig and Panda Pants August 2016: From the JLG Webinar Series

By: Deborah B. Ford | August 18, 2016 | Shelf Life

On today's webcast Leslie Bermel and I talked about the some of the fall forthcoming books for elementary readers. From two turtles that discover a hat in the desert to a much-anticipated biography of E.B. White, you’ll find the new releases to be worth the wait. With the addition of new categories, Character Building Elementary, Fantasy/Science Fiction Elementary and Multicultural Elementary, you'll have even more wonderful books for your young readers. And remember to add some Plus categories to get even more books in the fall—just when you need them most! Read More

Fill Up Your Digital Toolbox: Resources

By: Deborah B. Ford | June 22, 2016 | Shelf Life

This month I published an article in Principal magazine, "Fill Up Your Digital Toolbox." Based on the idea that flipped learning requires digital tools to be used at home, the article begins with one key element: Evaluate your library program. From having enough staff and money to evaluating databases and whether teaching time is provided for their instruction, I think you'll find the article to be a good talking tool for a conversation with your shareholders. The key to a good flipped learning program is not the tools themselves. It's the outcome of using them. We shouldn't use apps just to be using apps. Just like in the movies, what is our motivation? Read More

Curious Findings in Books

By: Deborah B. Ford | March 22, 2016 | Shelf Life

I have never been a fan of putting my hand behind a row of books. I've touched one too many nasty wrappers. It's one reason I always say "let them eat cake." If we allow them to eat in the library, give them a food trashcan, and encourage them to exercise some responsibility, kids quit sneaking food into the library. Your hamburger paper behind the biography problem will just stop. But I digress. Today as I was doing my morning pinning (schedule your social media for consistency) when I discovered an interesting article: 15 Curious Things Found in Library Books. Considering the things I have personally found in books and behind the books, I was a smidge anxious at clicking through to the article. What I found in the article was charming. Read More