World Forum Sheds Light on Children’s Advocacy

Q&A with Melanie Borski-Howard, 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Committee Chair and Youth Services Specialist at Boulder Public Library, and Andrea Cleland, Early Literacy Librarian at Loveland Public Library In May 2023, Melanie Borski-Howard and Andrea Cleland, two stellar children’s librarians in Colorado, had the opportunity to present their “Let the Children March” presentation at the …

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Using CLEL Bell Titles in Storytime

by Karen Walker, Kids and Families Core Service Librarian, Jefferson County Public Library, Colorado, member of the 2024 CLEL Bell Awards committee “Have any of you been camping? ¿Alguien ha ido a acampar?” That was the question Rodney the Rat with his little backpack asked the kids at storytimes in May at one of my …

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How a CLEL Bell Award is Won

by Maureen Quinlan, 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Co-Chair Ever wonder how a CLEL Bell book goes from publication to winning the award? Here is the step-by-step process of how readers, books, and librarians all fit into the CLEL Bells puzzle. For a more in-depth analysis of our committee work, read on.  Book award committee work …

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Meet the 2024 CLEL Bell Awards Committee

For the first time, we’ve expanded our committee to include 17 members, 9 returning and 8 new members. We are so excited to welcome our new members and start work as a committee. Before our work begins, we wanted to introduce all our committee members and include some of their very impressive resumes. Melanie Borski-Howard …

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Less than one week to join the CLEL Bell Committee! Apps due March 24.

There are so many benefits to being on this committee. You will improve your Collection Development skills, connect with other talented librarians and so much more! Fill out your application today! This year we are actively recruiting biligual Spanish/English librarians and educators to gain experience serving on the CLEL Bell Awards committee. Our goal is …

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Announcing the 2023 CLEL Bell Award Winners

The CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards are an annual recognition of five high-quality picture books that provide excellent support of early literacy skills for young children in each of five categories: Read, Write, Sing, Talk, and Play. Eligible books were published or distributed in the United States between November 16, 2021 and November 15, 2022. …

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Have You Read These Books?

The CLEL Bell Award Shortlist is here and the selection committee is asking your input to help decide the 2023 CLEL Bell Award winners! The nominated books have been narrowed to a shortlist of five titles from each of the categories: Read, Write, Sing, Talk, and Play. Next, all CLEL members can vote on their …

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2023 CLEL Bell “READ” Nominations pt. 3

The CLEL Bell Book Award committee is wrapping up their nominations and about to meet to create the 2023 Shortlist. At this exciting annual meeting, we look at each practice’s nominations and gush, debate, and celebrate until we are down to five books in each category? Want to be a part of the action next …

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2023 CLEL Bell “SING” Nominations pt. 4

The CLEL Bell Book Award committee is wrapping up their nominations and about to meet to create the 2023 Shortlist. At this exciting annual meeting, we look at each practice’s nominations and gush, debate, and celebrate until we are down to five books in each category? Want to be a part of the action next …

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2023 CLEL Bell “PLAY” Nominations pt. 4

The CLEL Bell Book Award committee is wrapping up their nominations and about to meet to create the 2023 Shortlist. At this exciting annual meeting, we look at each practice’s nominations and gush, debate, and celebrate until we are down to five books in each category? Want to be a part of the action next …

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