Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with a wondering face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.
Betsy at a book reading holding up a children's book with an expressive face.

Betsy Bird, Speaker

As a Collection Development Manager, a Youth Materials Specialist, longstanding expert, and children’s author, Betsy’s experience in the field encompasses a wide range of topics and discourses. Whether you would like her to speak to a group of up-and-coming children’s book creators, a team of librarians, or simply fans of children’s literature in general, Betsy is happy to touch on a multitude of experiences.

 

On Children’s Literature:


BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A run down of the best children’s literature of the previous year or the current year, this upbeat and enthusiastic talk can highlight the following areas: Board Books, Picture Books, Easy/Beginner Books, Poetry, Fairytales/Folktales/Religious Tales, Early Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction Picture Books, and Nonfiction for Older Readers.

THE HISTORY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Topics may cover funny books for children, trends past and present in kidlit, graphic novels, women in children’s literature, and more. Betsy is also happy to discuss behind-the-scenes children’s literature stories from her book Wild Things: Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature, which she co-wrote with Jules Danielson and Peter Sieruta.

 

On Writing:


WRITING ADVICE
Past presentations have included Writing Humor in Unfunny Times, Socially Conscious Reviewing, and Keeping Up with Children’s Literature Trends.

 

On Librarianship:


EQUITY IN COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Betsy is the creator of the Whole Book Approach to collection development, which seeks to diversify collections not merely through equity assessments but through every aspect of the collection development process (Purchasing, Weeding, Display, etc). This talk was presented bi-annually as part of Library Journal/School Library Journal’s Evaluating, Auditing and Diversifying Your Collections online course and encompasses adult collections, as well as YA and children’s, as needed. You can read about The Whole Book Approach in Racial Literacy in Libraries (which Betsy co-wrote with her fellow Evanston Public Library co-workers).

CHILDREN’S LIBRARIANSHIP AND TRAINING
Have a new team of children’s librarians? Betsy can cover conducting storytimes (including the difference between baby, toddler, preschooler, and school aged talks), booktalking, storytelling, school visits, reference desk work, keeping up with current children’s books and trends, etc.

 

RATES: Betsy has a sliding scale of rates at this time. Please inquire at fusenumber8@gmail.com

 

 

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