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In This Issue
From the State Librarian
VT Affordable Care Act & Libraries
Celebrate Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28
Save Old Libraries: Oct. 7 Deadline for Historic Preservation Grants
Children's, YA Materials Review Session, Oct. 11
First E-Rate Deadline Oct. 29
Turning the Page Comes Home
VTLIB Awards Scholarships for ARSL Conference
1st Wednesdays Programs Scheduled for 2013-2014
Hartland, Stamford, Weathersfield Explore Science
VTLIB Loans Discussion Sets of DCF, GMBA Books
New Books for Librarians Working with Children
Helpful Links
Join Our Mailing List

topFrom the State Librarian 

MartaReidVTStateLibrarianI always like the changed rhythm that comes in September with the return of students and teachers to classrooms. Many children come into those classrooms ready to learn and fresh from a summer that has included lots of pleasure reading. Last summer 11,653 children registered for the statewide summer reading program in public libraries across Vermont - and they reported reading over 115,000 books. We expect to see similar numbers from this past summer's "Dig into Reading" program. But, unfortunately, there are still far too many children entering school this fall who did not have access to a library or bookmobile over the summer or books in their homes. These kids are at a real disadvantage, and research has shown that returning students may have lost as much as a full grade level of reading achievement by not reading over the summer. Public and school librarians play a critical role in helping our students reach their full potential in their first 12 years of formal education. And we know, especially from recent brain research, that the kind of stimulation that comes with use of language and reading aloud is an important component for even the youngest of children in developing a readiness to read and learn. It seems so simple: reading aloud to young children puts them on the road to success in school and success in life. And yet we fail to reach so many children. Read more
VT Affordable Care Act & Libraries

The State of Vermont is preparing to roll out its new healthcare marketplace, Vermont Health Connect (VHC), in October, and Vermont's libraries are preparing to help Vermonters find the help they need to understand the healthcare changes and options this fall. Read more 

Celebrate Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28
Image courtesy of the American Library Association 
Banned Books Week is just around the corner - September 22 through the 28th - and many librarians are using this event to trumpet the library stance on full access to information. Interested in seeing how Vermont libraries celebrate? Check out "Good Ideas from Vermont Public Libraries" at:  http://vtgoodideas.wordpress.com.
Use the search box to dig deeper and find previous years' posts highlighting the freedom to read. Read more

Save Old Libraries:
Oct. 7 Deadline for Historic Preservation Grants 
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation offers grants of up to $20,000 to nonprofit organizations and municipalities to help repair and restore historic buildings. Established in 1986, the state-funded Historic Preservation Grant Program helps municipalities and non-profit organizations rehabilitate and keep in active use the buildings that make up a vital part of Vermont's historic downtowns, villages, and rural communities. Read more

Children's, YA Materials Review Session Oct. 11 

It is hard for librarians to sort through the hundreds of children's and young adult books that are published each year to find the absolute best ones for their schools or public libraries. One thing that makes this job much easier is the seasonal Materials Review Sessions sponsored by VTLIB. Read more
First E-Rate Deadline Oct. 29  

Funding Year FY12, July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013:

After some delay, the new FCC Form 472 for federal E-rate discounts is now available online. Applicants can now file Form 472, the "Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR)" Form online. It's important for libraries to remember that Form 472 must be filed 120 days after the start of service. For example, if service began July 1, 2012 and ended on June 30, 2013, a library has until October 29, 2013 to file Form 472 for E-rate reimbursements. To file online, the authorized person logs in as usual to the online form area (http://sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp) with the Billed Entity Number (BEN), Personal Identification Number (PIN), email address, and last name. Read more 

Turning the Page Comes Home

null Turning the Page is a 6-week, online advocacy training course, created by the Public Library Association and sponsored by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At the end of the grant, PLA made the content for the course available to State Library Agencies across the country, should they wish to continue to offer the training in-state. Read more 

VTLIB Awards Scholarships for ARSL Conference

The Department of Libraries is pleased to announce that scholarships have been awarded to six Vermont public library directors to attend the Association for Rural and Small Libraries' Conference in Omaha, NE, on September 25-28. They will join Michael Roche, a VTLIB Library Consultant, and hundreds of library workers from across the country who will gather to attend sessions on a wide range of topics, including: fund-raising, reference, programming, library management, library technology, and community engagement. The scholarships cover the costs of conference registration, travel, lodging and meals. Congratulations to the six scholarship recipients: Amy Wisehart, Hartland Public Library; Carol Nicholson, Goodrich Memorial Library, Newport; Lisa Sammet, Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick; Kimberly Bushnell Mathewson, Middletown Springs Public Library; Amy Olsen, Lanpher Memorial Library, Hyde Park; and Rebecca Cook, Poultney Public Library. Funding for these scholarships comes from the federal Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

 

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1st Wednesdays Programs Scheduled for
2013-2014

The Department of Libraries is once again a proud sponsor of the 1st Wednesdays Humanities Lecture Series, a program of the Vermont Humanities Council. This year's series, which features monthly programs from October to May in nine public libraries, offers a roster of outstanding speakers on a wide range of topics, including: music, art, foreign policy, history, literature, and language. The library locations are: Brooks Memorial Library, Brattleboro; Brownell Library, Essex Junction; Mark Skinner Library, Manchester; Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury; Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier; Goodrich Memorial Library, Newport; Norwich Public Library; Rutland Free Library; and the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum. Funding for the VTLIB sponsorship comes from the State of Vermont and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program, administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

 

To see a full listing of the 1st Wednesdays programs, go to: http://www.vermonthumanities.org/WhatWeDo/FirstWednesdays/tabid/157/Default.aspx 

Hartland, Stamford, Weathersfield
Explore Science  
Three rural Vermont libraries will host a free four-part reading, viewing and discussion series for adults called Pushing the Limits. Pushing the Limits brings together books and videos featuring authors, scientists and everyday people who thrive on exploring the natural world. Read more 
VTLIB Loans Discussion Sets of DCF, GMBA Books 
Teachers and librarians who want to get their children involved in our statewide children's choice book award programs, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Award for grades 4-8 and the Green Mountain Book Award (GMBA) for grades 9-12, can borrow a set of books for discussion. The Department of Libraries has 15 copies of each of the books nominated for GMBA as well as the DCF nominees currently in paperback. Read more
New Books for Librarians Working with Children  
The Children's Book Exhibit Center (CBEC) of the Department of Libraries has a large collection of professional books of interest to public children's librarians and school librarians. In our catalog they are listed as being in the Central Collections, with the location Children's Book Exhibit Center, and a call number of REF. There are books on programming, children's and young adult literature, helping children learn, etc. To borrow them, librarians can request them through interlibrary loan. Read more

ONLY COMPLETE ARTICLES BEYOND THIS POINT
MARTYFrom the Vermont State Librarian

I always like the changed rhythm that comes in September with the return of students and teachers to classrooms. Many children come into those classrooms ready to learn and fresh from a summer that has included lots of pleasure reading. Last summer 11,653 children registered for the statewide summer reading program in public libraries across Vermont - and they reported reading over 115,000 books. We expect to see similar numbers from this past summer's "Dig into Reading" program. But, unfortunately, there are still far too many children entering school this fall who did not have access to a library or bookmobile over the summer or books in their homes. These kids are at a real disadvantage, and research has shown that returning students may have lost as much as a full grade level of reading achievement by not reading over the summer. Public and school librarians play a critical role in helping our students reach their full potential in their first 12 years of formal education. And we know, especially from recent brain research, that the kind of stimulation that comes with use of language and reading aloud is an important component for even the youngest of children in developing a readiness to read and learn. It seems so simple: reading aloud to young children puts them on the road to success in school and success in life. And yet we fail to reach so many children.

 

In May of this year, the Pew Center for Research released "Parents, Children, Libraries, and Reading," a report based on a 2012 survey of 2,252 Americans. The Report underscores the value that parents place on reading for children - and for library services for children and families. Consider these findings outlined in the Report's "Overview":

  • 94% of parents say libraries are important for their children and 79% describe libraries as "very important." That is especially true of parents of young children (those under 6), some 84% of whom describe libraries as very important.
  • 84% of these parents who say libraries are important say a major reason they want their children to have access to libraries is that libraries help inculcate their children's love of reading and books.
  • 81% say a major reason libraries are important is that libraries provide their children with information and resources not available at home.

Almost every parent (97%) says it is important for libraries to offer programs and classes for children and teens. And the report also shows that low income households especially value the services of local libraries.

http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/05/01/parents-children-libraries-and-reading/ 

 

The Department of Libraries (VTLIB) is working with librarians in some 50 public libraries who are participants in the Vermont Early Literacy Initiative, a joint project of the VTLIB and the Vermont Center for the Book. The next training for these librarians will take place in October and will focus on the inclusion of science and math (STEM) concepts in library programming for young children, parents, and child care providers. This fall I am working with the Board of the Vermont School Library Association in their outreach efforts to the Agency of Education on the important role of school libraries for Vermont students and teachers, and in November I plan to join many of our state's school librarians at the American Association of School Libraries Conference in Hartford, CT. We can't say it enough: our libraries - public, school, and academic - are all about life-long learning, beginning with the very youngest of our citizens. September is a good time to take note of this - and to spread the word to policymakers, school administrators, parents, teachers, and our friends and neighbors.

 

Marty Reid  

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fiberconnectVT Affordable Care Act & Public Libraries 

The State of Vermont is preparing to roll out its new healthcare marketplace, Vermont Health Connect (VHC), in October, and Vermont's libraries are preparing to help Vermonters find the help they need to understand the healthcare changes and options this fall.

 

The Department of Libraries is hosting webinars to help library directors and staff understand the sign up process in preparation for questions from their local citizens. Presented by Kelly Dougherty, Project Director for the Navigator Program at VHC, the webinars review the timeline and process for the introduction of the Vermont healthcare marketplace that will open in October. Kelly describes ways in which library staff and volunteers can lead patrons to the VHC website or phone help line as well as how libraries can bring information to their communities. Libraries will be able to help their communities in a number of ways: some will host a community forum, others will provide posters and handouts with links to the toll free assistance line and the website on which Vermonters will be able to register on their own or with assistance from trained "Navigators." Libraries may also, space permitting, be the meeting place for local Navigators to meet with individuals who need help understanding the registration process, their choices and available financial assistance.

 

To learn more about Vermont Health Connect, visit their website at: http://healthconnect.vermont.gov/.

 

Library staff and volunteers working with the public in public, school and academic libraries are welcome to view recordings of the August or September webinars. To learn more, visit our website at: http://libraries.vermont.gov/health.

 

Contact: Christine Friese, 802-828-2714 or [email protected].

 

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catamountCelebrate Banned Books Week, Sept. 22-28 

Banned Books Week is just around the corner - September 22 through the 28th - and many librarians are using this event to trumpet the library stance on full access to information. Interested in seeing how Vermont libraries celebrate? Check out "Good Ideas from Vermont Public Libraries" at: http://vtgoodideas.wordpress.com. Use the search box to dig deeper and find previous years' posts highlighting the freedom to read.

 

Want to revisit the ethical and legal library issues? Public libraries may book a staff session with their local VTLIB consultant to examine local policy, state law and the principles behind intellectual freedom. Allow at least an hour and a half to make sure there's enough time to discuss the concepts. The Library Science (LS) collection has excellent current materials exploring the issues; some suggestions are listed below. Remember that any library can use the general interlibrary loan form to request particular materials from the LS Collection - to make sure, for instance, that a book includes handling challenges to library displays.

 

null Pinnell-Stephens, June.  Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your Public Library. ALA, 2012. Each chapter covers an issue, lists the ALA documents and court cases which illuminate it, and ends with a case study to explore the meaning of the issue. The case studies are clear and down to earth, a good way for staff to discuss how library policies and procedures are carried out.

 

    

 

 

null LaRue, James. The New Inquisition: Understanding and Managing Intellectual Freedom Challenges. Libraries Unlimited, 2007. James LaRue is a Colorado director who's seen his share of public library challenges in Douglas County. He begins with a philosophical and historical approach and adds a wealth of practical experience for library director and staff. Chapter 4 (pp. 71-87) details the step by step response to a challenge, emphasizing staying human as the director listens carefully and helps the discussion along.

 

 

 

null The Intellectual Freedom Manual, 8th edition, ALA 2010. No list about privacy, internet viewing or challenges in libraries would be complete without this title. Although anyone can Google the ALA Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights online, this volume pulls everything together. The Manual is one title every Vermont library should own. Here's one inspiring quote: "Communicating openly, honestly and with full understanding of the social, legal and professional issues involved is the best way to promote intellectual freedom and uphold the image of the library and librarians." (Chapter 2, Preserving, Protecting and Working for Intellectual Freedom, page 394.)

 

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Save Old Libraries: Oct. 7 Deadline for Historic Preservation Grantsvol

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation offers grants of up to $20,000 to nonprofit organizations and municipalities to help repair and restore historic buildings. Established in 1986, the state-funded Historic Preservation Grant Program helps municipalities and non-profit organizations rehabilitate and keep in active use the buildings that make up a vital part of Vermont's historic downtowns, villages, and rural communities.

Since inception, the program has granted almost $4 million towards the preservation of 495 historic community buildings, including libraries. If your library is located in a historic building, you may be eligible to apply for a Historic Preservation Grant to assist with the cost of repairing and maintaining your structure.

The deadline for the next round of Historic Preservation Grants is October 7, 2013. Manuals and applications for the next round of grants are now available online. Visit http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/preservation/grants/historic_preservation or contact Caitlin Corkins, Tax Credits & Grants Coordinator, at 

(802) 828-3047 for more information.

 

The VT Division for Historic Preservation also maintains a Funding Directory for Historic Preservation Projects in Vermont. This extensive list of potential funding sources for historic preservation projects is intended to help identify organizations that may be able to support building projects. Libraries should contact directly the organizations listed in the Directory for more information. The Directory is available online at: http://accd.vermont.gov/sites/accd/files/Documents/strongcommunities/historic/FUNDING_DIRECTORY_2013.pdf   

 

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certsChildren's, YA Materials Review Session Oct. 11

It is hard for librarians to sort through the hundreds of children's and young adult books that are published each year to find the absolute best ones for their schools or public libraries. One thing that makes this job much easier is the seasonal Materials Review Sessions sponsored by VTLIB.

 

At the session, Youth Services Consultant Grace Greene orally reviews about 75 recently published children's and young adult books. In addition there are on display hundreds more titles that have been favorably reviewed by volunteer Vermont reviewers or, in the case of nonfiction, the review media. All books, with the reviews taped inside, are available for perusal so librarians can see what they are getting before they order. The Regional Educational Television Network (RETN) will record the presentation, and that recording will be streamed on their website: http://www.retn.org/. The accompanying bibliography will be on the Department of Libraries' website: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/cbec/mrs 

 

The fall session will take place in Northfield at the Brown Public Library on Friday, October 11 at 9:00 a.m.

 

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erateFirst E-Rate Deadline Oct. 29     

Funding Year FY12, July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013:

After some delay, the new FCC Form 472 for federal E-rate discounts is now available online. Applicants can now file Form 472, the "Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR)" Form online. It's important for libraries to remember that Form 472 must be filed 120 days after the start of service. For example, if service began July 1, 2012 and ended on June 30, 2013, a library has until October 29, 2013 to file Form 472 for E-rate reimbursements. To file online, the authorized person logs in as usual to the online form area (http://sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp) with the Billed Entity Number (BEN), Personal Identification Number (PIN), email address, and last name.

 

Funding Year FY13, July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

The completed Form 486 - with certification - MUST be received by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) submitted online or postmarked no later than 120 days after the Service Start Date featured on the Form 486 or no later than 120 days after the date of your Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL), whichever is later, in order to receive discounts retroactively to the Service Start Date. It is a good idea to file your Form 486 as soon as you receive your FCDL from USAC.

 

Funding Year FY14, July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015

If you have not done so already you can now file, or begin preparation to file your Form 470 for Funding Year 2014. The Form 470 begins the bidding process and must be filed for 2014 if you have no contract for the requested service(s) or if your contract expires on or before June 30, 2014. It is recommended that you file your Form 470 by the first week of December 2013.

 

If you have any questions about your E-rate applications, please contact Michael Roche at 802-748-3428, 802-661-8613 (cell), or [email protected].

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 dcfTurning the Page Comes Home

Turning the Page is a 6-week, online advocacy training course, created by the Public Library Association and sponsored by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. At the end of the grant, PLA made the content for the course available to State Library Agencies across the country, should they wish to continue to offer the training in-state.

 

63 Vermonters have completed the course so far and this Fall VTLIB will offer it again to library directors, staff, trustees and friends who want to learn how to tell their stories, whether for general community awareness, or in efforts such as capital campaigns or fundraising for new technologies. The course also provides credits toward the Certificate of Public Librarianship as well as continuing education credit for trustees.

 

Among the comments from previous students: "Now I have the tools, resources and framework to put together a small advocacy plan (the library needs air conditioning) as well as a broad long range plan (capital campaign for library expansion project)."

 

To learn more and to register for the In-person/Online Kickoff to the six week class, visit the Turning the Page 2.0 Vermont! page: http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/turningthepage.

 

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gmbaHartland, Stamford, Weathersfield Explore Science

Three rural Vermont libraries will host a free four-part reading, viewing and discussion series for adults called Pushing the Limits. Pushing the Limits brings together books and videos featuring authors, scientists and everyday people who thrive on exploring the natural world.

 

Since the beginning of time, humans have imagined and achieved ways to push the boundaries of the physical world. We want to be stronger, smarter, and more aware, and we create stories to bring those dreams to life. But many of those stories are no longer just stories, and with great new advances in science and technology we are finding ways in which all of us are able to push the limits every day. The Pushing the Limits program will explore these ideas in discussions that will include feature film quality videos and recommended popular books. The overarching theme is one of real people, real stories and real science.

 

Group discussion events will be held on the following topics and books:

 

            - NATURE: T.C. Boyle, When the Killing's Done

            - CONNECTION: Erik Larson, Thunderstruck

            - SURVIVAL: Clive Cussler, Arctic Drift

            - KNOWLEDGE: Jean Auel, The Land of Painted Caves

 

This national program has been developed by a team of library professionals, scientists, and filmmakers. Their organizations include Dartmouth College, the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, the Califa Group (a California-based library consortium), Dawson Media Group, and Oregon State University - with generous funding from the National Science Foundation. Nancy Tusinski, director of the Weathersfield Proctor Library, said the Association of Rural & Small Libraries was the impetus for applying for the remarkable grant.

 

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libsciVTLIB Loans Discussion Sets of DCF, GMBA Books 

Teachers and librarians who want to get their children involved in our statewide children's choice book award programs, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Award for grades 4-8 and the Green Mountain Book Award (GMBA) for grades 9-12, can borrow a set of books for discussion. The Department of Libraries has 15 copies of each of the books nominated for GMBA as well as the DCF nominees currently in paperback. The ones on this year's DCF list that we now have are:

 

Bardugo   Shadow and Bone

Bauer   Little Dog Lost

Burg   Laugh with the Moon

Curtis   The Mighty Miss Malone

Hiaasen   Chomp

Hiranandani   The Whole Story of Half a Girl

House   Same Sun Here

Hunt   One for the Murphys

Knowles   See You at Harry's

Legrand   The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls

Nielsen   The False Prince

Pennypacker   Summer of the Gypsy Moths

Rocklin   The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook

Stead   Liar and Spy

Stone   Boy on Cinnamon Street

 

Libraries must request the books on the CURRENT GMBA and DCF lists directly from Linda Willis-Pendo at [email protected]. They go out for a 45 day loan period and may be reserved ahead.

 

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cbecNew Books for Librarians Working with Children 

The Children's Book Exhibit Center (CBEC) of the Department of Libraries has a large collection of professional books of interest to public children's librarians and school librarians. In our catalog they are listed as being in the Central Collections, with the location Children's Book Exhibit Center, and a call number of REF. There are books on programming, children's and young adult literature, helping children learn, etc. To borrow them, librarians can request them through interlibrary loan.

 

Here is a list of recently acquired titles:

 

Anderson, Sally. How Many Ways Can You Make Five?: A Parent's Guide to Exploring Math with Children's Books. Gryphon House, 2012.

 

Baxter, Kathleen A. and Marcia Agness Kochel. Get Those Guys Reading!: Fiction and Series Books that Boys Will Love. Libraries Unlimited, 2012.

 

Bernier, Anthony, ed. Transforming Young Adult Services. Neal-Schuman, 2013.

 

Bernier, Anthony. VOYA's YA Spaces of Your Dreams Collection. VOYA Press, 2012.

 

Burkey, Mary. Audiobooks for Youth: A Practical Guide to Sound Literature. ALA, 2013.

 

Cart, Michael. Cart's Top 200 Adult Books for Young Adults: Two Decades in Review. ALA, 2013. $50.00.

 

Donham, Jean. Enhancing Teaching and Learning: A Leadership Guide for School Librarians. 3rd Ed. Neal-Schuman, 2013.

 

Happy Child from Zero to Five. Pear Press, 2010.

 

Isaacs, Kathleen T. Picturing the World: Informational Picture Books for Children. ALA, 2013.

 

Jones, Dianna Wynne. Reflections on the Magic of Writing. HarperCollins, 2012.

  

Levitov, Deborah D., ed. Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival. Libraries Unlimited, 2012. 

 

Medina, John. Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five. Pear Press, 2010.

 

Moreillon, Judi. Coteaching Reading Comprehension Strategies in Elementary School Libraries: Maximizing Your Impact. ALA, 2013.

 

Owen, Patricia. A 21st-Century Approach to School Librarian Evaluation. AASL, 2012. $36.00. ISBN 978-0-8389-8618-9 (pap.).

 

Poe, Elizabeth A. From Children's Literature to Readers Theatre. ALA, 2013.

 

Riedling, Ann Marlow, Loretta Shake & Cynthia Houston. Reference Skills for the School Librarian. 3rd Ed. Linworth, 2013.

 

Silvey, Anita. Children's Book-A-Day Almanac. Roaring Brook, 2012.

 

Stoltz, Dorothy, Elaine M. Czarnecki & Connie Wilson. Every Child Ready for School: Helping Adults Inspire Young Children to Learn. ALA, 2013.

 

2013 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market. Writer's Digest Books, 2012.

 

Varachi, Christine. The Tibrarian Handbook: A Teacher-Librarian's Guide to Transforming the Library into a Center of Learning. Upstart, 2012.

 

Webster, Lawrence. Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham. WoodstockArts, 2012.

 

YALSA. Young Adults Deserve the Best: Understanding Teen Behavior for a Positive Library Experience. Manual and CD. YALSA, 2012.

 

Zvirin, Stephanie. Read with Me: Best Books for Preschoolers. ALA, 2012.

 

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imls