A conversation with Kim Johnson, Ryan La Sala, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Nic Stone. Moderated by DeAnza Williams.

A conversation with authors Traci Chee, Sharon G. Flake, Alan Gratz, April Henry. Moderated by Keiko Sanders.

According to “The Future of Library Services for and with Teens,” “more than one-fifth of America’s children are immigrants or children of immigrants. Now is the time for the field of librarianship, the population of which is overwhelmingly Caucasian, to consider what these demographic changes mean to school and public library services and programs for and with teens.” This session will provide one way in which those children are provided with mirrors, showing their experience in a relatable, respected, and realistic way that does not sensationalize or demean anyone’s lived experience. Over the course of this 3-hour preconference, attendees will learn about new and upcoming titles, hear from authors and will receive information on how to support and be inclusive of the growing immigrant populations in their communities.

Increasingly youth need to be news literate because of fake news. Otherwise, they will not make reasoned decisions, and will suffer the consequences. As information professionals, librarians have unique skills to help teens discern and address fake news. This session explains media literacy, points out ways that news can be misleading and distorted, and suggests ways that librarians can help teens be news savvy and media literate, including how to address fake news through citizen journalists and citizen scientists.