There is an article in the winter 2006 issue of Children & Libraries about digital storytimes. A research project was taken in Chicago with four-year-olds. It’s interesting in the concept and findings. Take a look.
You can find the article in Ebsco’s Academic Search Elite database in pdf format.

Here is the citation:

Collen, Lauren (2006). Digital and traditional storytimes reseach project: Using digitized picture books for preschool group storytimes. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children. 4, 8-18.

The 2007 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction is Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages (Viking, 2006, ISBN 0-670-06134-4, Gr. 5-8). This was announced January 17, 2007. Penguin Young Readers Group put out a press release about the book and the author (pdf). I haven’t read this yet. Have you?

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 51st Legislature (2007)

HOUSE BILL 1715 By: Wesselhoft

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to public libraries; prohibiting certain children from accessing the Internet at public libraries without adult supervision; listing persons who can provide adult supervision; directing public libraries to develop an Internet access card system for certain children; stating criteria of the card system; requiring public libraries to provide certain information and warnings to parents when issuing Internet access cards; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 7-107 of Title 65, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Every public library in the state shall prohibit children twelve (12) years of age and younger from accessing the Internet through computers located at the public library unless there is on-site adult supervision of the Internet usage. In addition to public library employees, persons that may provide adult supervision shall include parents, guardians, teachers, or childcare providers.
B. Every public library in the state shall develop an Internet access card system for children between the ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18). Under the Internet access card system children between the ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) shall be required to have parental permission in order to access the Internet through computers located at the public library. Each public library shall issue cards or develop some type of identification that children with parental permission shall present in order to access the Internet through computers located at the public library. When issuing a card or identification as provided for in this section, each public library shall provide to the parent information and warning about the dangers of children being contacted by sexual predators through on-line chat rooms.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2007.

51-1-5002 KB 09/22/06

Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (Republican, District 54) has introduced House Bill 1715 which prohibits children from accessing the internet without adult supervision in public libraries. You can read a copy of the bill here.

Thank you to David at Lawton PL for catching my error. It’s been fixed [--edited 1/23/07, Adrienne] 

ALA has announced the award winning books and videos for youth. You can read the list on their web site or view the video. I’ve read some of these books already, and really enjoyed them.

Which of these have you read or do you want to read?