Library Advocacy Store Adds Products

Travel mugs,dog tags and more have been added to each of the 30+ Library Store sections, including the children's book illustrations, CSLA Logo, and my career and animal characters. You can either go directly to the design you like and open it, or "search" topics such as: mugs, jewelry, purse hangers, playing cards, note cards.

Visit the Library Store at http://cafepress.com/CSLA to browse the art and items, develop strategies for library advocacy, make "wish lists" and place holiday orders.

California READS - a State of Mind

The California state flag is a popular design for t-shirts and sweatshirts, so it made sense to modify elements of the design by providing the grizzly bear a book to read. Instead of "California Republic" the flag now says "California READS".  

Note:  Of course there are no grizzly bears left in California, only black bears.  Early settlers made sport of hunting and publicly fighting, killing grizzly bears.

This image is available on shirts, mugs and more at cafepress.com/DesignClass. 

Wear Your Message: READ

Keep it simple.  "READ" is the message.  Reinforce the message with a followup line.  This one resonates with teens, teachers and others who have enjoyed reading Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Game series:  "May the odd be ever in your favor."  Combine and wear the message!  T- shirt advocacy is a practical and fun way to start a conversation or make others take a moment to think about the message.

The California School Library Association Foundation's Library Store offers a variety of items with this message at cafepress.com/csla, including wall peels (like posters but no tape is needed and no harm is done to the wall), mugs, journals, and all sorts of gift ideas.


If you are looking for FREE bookmarks with this message, download a PDF from the Foundation's webpage.  The 22 mini-bookmarks are popular with teens, and make a fun book club give-away.

Big-Eye Readers - New Characters

The California Campaign for Strong School Libraries has added two new characters to its collection and thanks to high votes from an earlier poll, it has created a coloring page contest for libraries and any establishment that serves children and loves reading. Print the PDF or png by visiting csla.net and search "Big-Eye Readers".  Suggest new characters by taking the poll.


Another high vote from the poll is the interest in using the individual characters in library newsletters or librarian columns in school or local publications.  All that we ask is that if you use the readers, you properly acknowledge the California Campaign for Strong School Libraries at librarycampaign.csla.net  To request individual images in png format for your publications, contact Library Advocate at info@csla.net

The new Big-Eye Reader characters have been added to the Campaign's LIBRARY [ADVOCACY] STORE.

Illustrators Galore @ the Library Store

Notable children’s book illustrators have generously drawn upon their talents to support the California Campaign for Strong School Libraries. Aliki, Caroline Arnold, Joe Cepeda, Marla Frazee, Kazu Kibuishi, Brian Selznick, and Marianne Wallace created illustrations for the cause. The public can view the images and support school libraries when they visit the Campaign’s LIBRARY STORE. California School Library Association members praised the artists and school library “Best Seller” Patrick Nelson for stepping forward.  

Southern California librarians asked for T-shirts, so now there are lots of t-shirts available with the Childrens Book Illustrators images, each with the message: "Strong School Libraries Build Strong Students and Lifelong Learners".

There are lots of choices, so buy a bunch.

Get one in every color and shape.

Get some for your family and grandparents, too!

Get matching note cards to reinforce your message.

1- Art by Aliki (2 illustrations: Library Cat and Reading Friends)

2- Marianne Wallace (Sunflowers & Students)

3- Kazu Kibuishi (Reading Rabbit)

4- Marla Frazee (Magical Reading Tree)

5- Joe Cepeda (Reading Adventures)

6- Brian Selznick (SAVE California School Libraries)

7- Caroline Arnold (Panda Loves Libraries)

Shop for strong school libraries at http://cafepress.com/csla
Build your Spring wardrobe.

CSLA/CCFSSL Press Release:

http://www.csla.net/pdf/CSLAIllustratorsGaloreLibraryStore.pdf

Gifts for Library and Book Lovers

The California School Library Association now has a GIFT SHOP for members and friends. Gifts for Library and Book Lovers offers a mix of T-shirts, baby clothes, and drinkware -- Is that a word? Check out the mugs, water bottles, and can coolers.

Themes include:

• Navigating the new...charting the future
• READING FRIENDS
• Read. Know. Grow.

Check it out. Ideal timing for the holidays.

Proceeds go to the "Best Sellers" Campaign for Strong School Libraries.

Read, Know, Grow -- T-Shirt Advocacy

Check out the new T-Shirts, pillows, and more for big and tall readers. They are good conversation starters for promoting reading because they include my favorite poem:

The more you read, the more you know.
The more you know, the smarter you grow.
The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice,
when speaking your mind or making your choice.
- anon.

Generating Revenue for Libraries and Library Associations

There has probably never been a better time to look into ways that web 2.0 tools can help bring in revenue to libraries, library associations, literary and literacy groups, to name a few of my favorite places and people. So, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to explore a number of tools including:

• BLURB.com for publishing and selling books. I've created a few books for family and friends, but why not figure out a "best seller" that the public might want to buy for their own collection?
• AdSense by Google. Not sure this will bring in much if anything, but it is worth testing. This is for publishers, so if your library, library foundation, or association has a blog that gets a lot of visits this might be a good tool to add at the top of your blog. The ads are "magically" matched to your type of organization and readers' interests.
• Online Gift Shop. T-Shirts and More items through Cafepress.com might yield some revenue, given people can purchase shirts, jackets, hats, and other items. Although I don't buy many T-shirts, I am partial to anything with pictures of books and messages like "READ" -- See earlier posts about T-Shirt Advocacy.

Wish me luck as I learn the ropes, pros/cons, and other options. Happy New Year 2009.

Cartoonists Across America - News from Phil Yeh

The other day, when I pulled out my treasured "Read, Rock, Recycle" T-Shirt, I got to wondering about Phil Yeh and his Cartoonists Across America, so I tracked him down to see what's what. Here is what he has to report:

"Thanks for thinking about us! We are getting a new comic book called Dinosaurs Across California from our printer this week. It continues the Dinosaurs Across series that has proven so successful over the last few years with students of all ages. I have filled this new comic with people who truly changed the world in many fields such as George Lucas to Jonas Salk. You can see previews of the new Dinosaurs Across California book on our (wingedtiger) website and of course order any of our books through our website as well.

Think about the old Ripley's Believe It or Nots and how those books offered facts with pictures for all ages and you get the idea of how these Dinosaurs Across books are aimed at EVERYONE.

Our original book, Dinosaurs Across America was published as a black and white comic book almost 18 years ago and went through 8 printings selling 180,000 copies. Last year, NBM Publishing in New York published a brand new full color hardcover edition of Dinosaurs Across America and this week, the new revised second printing rolls off the presses.

Dinosaurs Across America recently won one of the coveted Children's Choice awards sponsored the International Reading Association and The Children's Book Council. I am really proud of this color hardcover edition and now am trying to get the word out throughout the country so that we can get this book into as many school, public and home libraries as possible. Sadly, in this strange new 21st celebrity driven culture, it's very tough to get the national media attention (especially on national TV) for books about U.S. History and Geography (not written by a celebrity!).

But we are never giving up and depending more and more on a grassroots campaign to get the word out. We are currently preparing a nationwide tour for the next year in schools, libraries, community centers, museums and anywhere that will have us to promote this series.

At the same time, I am continuing to draw that little flying cat in a series of new children's books. Currently available, our Winged Tiger World Peace Party Puzzle Book, The Winged Tiger & The Dragons of Hawaii (with Jon J. Murakami) and coming in 2009, Steve the Dog & The Winged Tiger (with Geoff Bevington & Lieve Jerger) and a new bigger edition of our bestselling The Winged Tiger & The Lace Princess book that I did in 1997 with copper lace artist Lieve Jerger. If you would like to see images from these new projects, please click the FINE ART button on our website and you can see some wonderful images from Steve the Dog and also the new Lace Princess book.

The Winged Tiger is also the subject of a new full color comic strip that I have been drawing since early 2007 colored by Lieve for a children's magazine called Little Star based in Beijing, China. The Winged Tiger in China is another book project we have slated for late 2009.

As much as I loved to do our t-shirts, the tightening of budgets has kept us from producing our own line of products in these tough economic times when there doesn't seem to be bailouts for artists who actually promote the arts and literacy.

We are however hopeful, that the images we have produced will be available through licensing. It's just a matter of finding folks who share that vision. We continue to work all over the world and hope that 2009 will yield some new partners here in the USA and abroad.

Our 25 year tour ends in 2010. We of course, plan to continue our many book projects and will finish our documentary Planet Literacy after this road trip ends. The film is to provide a blueprint of what we did all over the world and the way cartoons and humor can truly inspire folks to read.

I am cc ing this email to my partner Linda Adams. Linda is a teen librarian at the San Bernardino Public Library and she has been instrumental in getting more people to know about our work. I will ask Linda to send along some new pdf files about the current projects and our mural painting events. We are still very much interested in painting bright colorful murals promoting reading and recycling and creativity all over this planet. In fact, Linda's library is hosting us again in April for an Earth Day Mural event with the Read, Rock and Recycle Theme!

Thanks so much for your support, and for all your good work.

Phil"

Teddy Bear T-Shirts and Sewing Circle Stories

Introduce students of any age to sewing, sewing circles, recycling, and holiday projects while listening to a good story. This weekend, I recycled an old T-Shirt by creating a bunch of little Teddy-Bear T-Shirts and ironing on Image Generator designs (a popular web 2.0 destination.)

While hand stitching little T-Shirts, I got to thinking how this might be a good group project for listening to good stories.

One picture book that comes to mind is "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton, where her mother sewed (with love) a multicolored jacket for her little girl. Great book for any age, but too short. Another short favorite that my husband reminded me about is "Hiram's Red Shirt," a Golden Book along the lines of "a stitch in time saves nine." There are lots of good read-aloud books, including several "coming of age" books about working as a seamstress or needlepoint to earn a living or learning fine needlepoint because that was what young ladies of nobility did!

I asked California School Librarians for book recommendations, and have been getting a good number of titles and age appropriateness. I'll add a follow-up post on those recommended books.

Virtual "READ" T-shirts for Librarian and Literacy-Loving Avatars

This is a big week for members of the California School Library Association and their friends who are participating or planning to participate in the free, online course, School Library Learning 2.0. This is a big week because today (drum roll…) there is a new, special T-shirt for Yahoo! Avatars that promotes literacy and reading. Get ready to check out and change into a stylish "READ" T-Shirt. Here is where to find the T-Shirts:
Go to http://avatars.yahoo.com/ ; Select the tab marked "extras" ; Click on "issues and causes."

Today (Tuesday, June 26, 2007), the first choice is a "READ" T-shirt for male and female avatars. How fun! It took an e-mail inquiry to Yahoo! to request the READ shirt, followed by a response asking for a national non-profit organization (I contacted Rachel Johnson of the American Library Association Graphics Department.) Here's a hearty "thank you" to Amanda at Yahoo! Avatars and Rachel at ALA Graphics for making magic T-shirts happen!

The interest in summertime learning is impressive. So far, there have been 17,000+ visits to the course from around the world! It is easy to participate in School Library Learning 2.0 by reading the introduction and ABOUT sections. Registration takes place in WEEK #2, THING #4, just after you create a librarian avatar and add it to your blog. Now, thanks to the new "READ" T-shirts for Yahoo! avatars, you will know just what to wear!

T-Shirt Advocacy

Rainy weekends are good for reading, but also for closet-cleaning. This weekend, I tackled my T-shirt collection and sorted by theme. One theme is reading, literacy, and libraries. Some shirts are over-sized for workouts at the YMCA, while others are right-sized for shopping, walking, and visits to my local library. Here is an inventory:

Black and Grey T-shirts:
READ (typewriter keys) nourish your mind
Read, Rock & Roll, and Recycle. Avoid Extinction. (Phil Yeh, Cartoonists Across America)
Read U (niversity)

Orange, Peach, and Pinkish T-shirts:
READ for the FUN of it
READ. Succeed. (ALA Atlanta, 1991)
LIBRARIAN (each letter with library and book related embroidery)

Blue, Light Blue, and Aqua T-shirts:
Read'em and Reap (Life is Good.)
The more you read, the more you know (full poem)
The more you read, the more you know (ICON of girl reading; full poem on back)
I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. Jorge Luis Borges.
READ (denim long-sleeve shirts)

White T-shirts:
Read, Rock & Roll, and Recycle. Avoid Extinction. (Phil Yeh, Cartoonists Across America)
Literacy on Parade (California School Librarians, 1997)
Book - Woman (Kiki, 1989)