A Virtual Festival for Librarians, Book Nerds, and Fans of Graphic Novels, SF, and Fantasy

Posted on October 21, 2019 at 11:08 am

Join Library Journal and School Library Journal for our third annual LibraryCon Live! We’re excited to offer a day-long celebration of fandom-beloved stories and characters, featuring the creators behind mind-bending speculative fiction, innovative comics, and fan-favorite graphic novels. You’ll also learn from librarians and industry insiders on how to plan and host your own Comic Con-style event.

Plus, network online with other fans and explore our virtual exhibit hall where you’ll hear directly from publishers about their newest books and engage in live chats with featured authors. Whether you’re a public or school librarian, an educator of teens and young adults, or a superfan of graphic novels and sf/fantasy, don’t miss this chance to meet and interact with some of your favorite stars across these genres.

LibraryCon Live! is a free, completely virtual conference—no traveling and no cost!

Register now! We look forward to seeing you on November 6th. Can’t make the live date? No problem! All the sessions will be archived, and the virtual environment will be accessible for three months.

AGENDA

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Opening Keynote

Sam Maggs and Delilah Dawson in Conversation: Two comics writers discuss crafting narratives and characters for Marvel Action, writing for middle grade and YA readers, and being on both sides of the “fangirl” experience. Sam Maggs is the author of The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy and Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History. She is also currently writing a middle-grade “Marvel Action: Captain Marvel” series for IDW. Delilah Dawson, a NYT bestselling author, writes the “Marvel Action: Spider Man” series and is currently penning a YA series for IDW called “Star Pig.”

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Panel 1 | Fantastic World-Building

Mystical Viking warriors. China in 484 A.D. A ruthless galactic empire. A modern Gothic nightmarescape. A secret society of black magicians. While wildly different, each of the works highlighted by the authors and artists on this panel share a common trait: exemplary world-building. Creators discuss how they construct intricate and believable fantastic worlds.

Natasha Alterici, Heathen, Vol. 2 (Diamond)
Hannah Templer, Cosmoknights; GLOW vs. the Star Primas (Top Shelf/IDW)
Brandon Thomas, Excellence, Vol. 1 (Image)
Sherry Thomas, The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan (Lee & Low)

12:15 PM – 12:30 PM | Break

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch Keynote

Henry Barajas, La Voz de M.A.Y.O Tata Rambo (Image)

In La Voz de M.A.Y.O.: Tata Rambo, Henry Barajas tells the true story of how his grandfather, Ramon Jaurigue (a.k.a. Tata Rambo), co-founded the Mexican, American, Yaqui, and Others (M.A.Y.O.) organization, which successfully lobbied the Tucson City Council to improve living and working conditions for members of the Pascua Yaqui and led to federal recognition of the Yaqui tribe.

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Panel 2 | Stories That Engage Young Readers (and Beyond)

Relatable heroes, adventure-filled journeys, and laugh-out-loud truisms define these narratives for middle grade and teen readers. In this panel, authors and artists will discuss how they craft the highly engaging stories that young readers crave.

Drew Brockington, “CatStronauts” series; Hangry (Little, Brown)
Will Henry, Snug Harbor Stories: A Wallace the Brave Collection (Andrews McMeel)
Lucy Knisley, Stepping Stones (RHCB)
Sarah Kuhn, Shadow of the Batgirl (DC)
Christine Taylor-Butler, The Lost Tribe: Trials (Move)
Jen Wang, Stargazing (Macmillan)

1:45 PM – 2:15 PM | Fast Learning Session 1: How the Arlington Public Library Does Their ComicCon Program

Thinking about hosting a ComicCon-style event at your library? Hear Tamera Miller, Program Specialist at the Arlington Public Library (TX), discuss her library’s highly successful model, and learn how to plan, market, and run your own Con.

2:15 PM – 2:45 PM | Fast Learning Session 2: Comics Nerd Expert Picks

Nicholas Allen, comics writer and co-founder of Rexco Comics, will talk about some of the must-have, under-the-radar new and forthcoming comics titles librarians need to know about, including his favorite web comics.

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM | Break

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM | Panel 3 | Portrait of the Artists

Though their styles and techniques vary greatly, the artists on this panel share a commitment to excellence in visual storytelling. This panel will offer a behind-the-scenes deep dive into their artistic processes.

Erin Nations, Gumballs (Top Shelf/IDW)
Becky Cloonan, Reaver; By Chance or By Providence (Image)
Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke & Key series; Tales from the Darkside (IDW)
Koren Shadmi, The Twilight Man: Rod Sterling and the Birth of Television (Humanoids)

3:45 PM – 4:15 PM | Closing Keynote

James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing the Children (BOOM! Studios)

Best known for his work on the “Batman” series with DC Comics, GLAAD Award-winning writer James Tynion IV now delves into horror with a brand-new limited series, Something Is Killing the Children, about “staring into the abyss to find your worst fears staring back.”

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Festivals

Celebrate Banned Books Week!

Posted on September 28, 2010 at 3:33 pm

This is Banned Books Week, a national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982.
I believe parents should be careful about all media, including books, to make sure that children and teenagers are exposed to material that is age-appropriate and consistent with the values of the family. What I do here is intended to provide support for parents to make sure that happens. But that does not mean that I support the banning of books, movies, or other media by school systems or libraries. The books that attract controversy and calls for censorship can often be the books that best help us understand and cope with life’s most complicated, scary, and disturbing challenges. Banned books have included classics by Mark Twain, Toni Morrison, and Roald Dahl. There are many events in celebration of the freedom to read but the best celebration of all is to read something yourself and encourage your children to do the same.

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Books

Smile of the Week:

Posted on August 24, 2010 at 3:22 pm

I love this sly parody of the “Old Spice” commercials. Go libraries!

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Shorts Smile of the Week

Walden Media to send a Librarian to the ALA Conference

Posted on February 6, 2009 at 8:00 am

I love Walden Media‘s commitment to quality entertainment for families. Their films include Bridge to Terabithia and The Chronicles of Narnia.

And I am also a very big fan of libraries. I am always inspired by the dedication and generosity of the people who work there. My sister is a librarian and she once took me to the annual American Library Association. I was dazzled by the programs and displays.

So I was thrilled to hear that Walden Media is sponsoring a sweepstakes through March 31 to attend this year’s ALA conference in Chicago this July. And it was a very great pleasure to speak to two of the people involved, Chip Flaherty from Walden Media and Sarah Debrasky, the president of the ALA’s Young Adult Library Services Association.

Chip Flaherty spoke to me about Walden’s interest in the books that inspire their films.

This is yet another initiative that goes back to how Walden came about. We looked at the state of media years ago and really thought that educators – moms and dads or teachers and librarians, were an under-served audience. We thought it would be great to give them a tool to help get kids excited about reading.

The name Walden was inspired by Thoreau, who learned about the world around him in an unconventional way. We make faithful adaptations of quality books and put them on the screen. We hear a lot of great ideas from teachers and librarians. And we began to understand the challenges they face. Working with them is a natural progression of what we tried to do on the film side, to serve that under-served audience. They have the most important job in American, shaping the trajectory of children’s lives.

We thought by offering this sweepstakes it would give a librarian something they would not otherwise get to do, a chance to talk to colleagues to exchange ideas and make new contacts. And it frees up those budget resources to buy books and do other things.

It is so important. Teachers and librarians are always performing in front of 30 kids, trying to connect, always needing to engage. But it can be a lonely profession in terms of collegiality. It is important to attend the ALA meeting for collegial reflection, a chance to sit down and share experiences and get support.

We are very diligent about reminding kids that our films are based on great books. If kids connect to the story, it’s not a zero sum game. I would argue that it’s more immersive to have all of these formats. Any publishing house will tell you the best promotion for a book is a movie. We do what we can to support teachers and librarians on our website with lesson plans for our films. It’s almost a cyber-faculty lounge. If kids are engaged in the story they want to consume it in all formats.

Sarah Debrasky also emphasized the importance of the ALA conference.

The conference is a huge event; it really is the place to go if you’re a librarian. The best thing about it is you will come away excited about your profession, full of new ideas. Not everything gets put into a big program, some idea shares are less formal. There is something for everyone, programs, events, all very exciting. They get around 20,000 people.

As the incoming President, I am very excited about engaging the Young Adult Library Services Association community with more give and take back and forth, getting more members involved who can’t come to the conferences. We’ll also continue with our awards and booklists to help every young adult find just the right book.

In times of tight budgets one of the first things that gets cut is travel. It is wonderful that Walden is making it possible for a librarian to be there who might not otherwise get to come.

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