Technology Review: ALA YouTube Channel

The AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION maintains a YouTube channel containing news and information for librarians and library users.

Sponsored by ALA, the channel focuses on original programming aimed at library professionals and other ALA members. Programming includes professional development resources, publicity and advocacy tools, news, and information. Many of the videos are associated with popular initiatives such as Spark Advocacy and Libraries Transform.

Dozens of play lists are available including ALA Vlogs, Annual Conference video sets, and a financial learning series.

Librarians will find this channel useful in planning for administrative activities including marketing activities. However, there are also many useful resources for their own professional development.

To explore the channel, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation.

Website Review: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION (AFSP) website provides resources to help youth and educators deal with suicide prevention and loss.

It’s National Suicide Prevention Week. The AFSP website provides a wealth of resources for educators working with youth. The resource is divided into sections.

The Understanding Suicide area provides quality information about suicide as a serious public health problem. The easy-to-read informational pages would be excellent resources for student projects as well as background information for educators. Topics include facts and figures, suicide warning signs, suicide risk factors, key research findings, engaging people with lived experience, and FAQs. Librarians will find these materials useful in displays along with books on the topic.

The Preventing Suicide section discusses suicide warning signs, finding help, treatment, and an interactive screening program. Specific educational materials and programs are aimed at teens and young adults.

The Coping with Suicide Loss area is specifically designed to help those who have lost loved ones to suicide.

The Research area is useful for those seeking more depth into the causes, treatments, and interventions associated with suicide and prevention.

The Advocacy and Public Policy section discusses ways that individuals and schools can get involved with becoming suicide prevention advocates.

For more information about National Suicide Prevention Week, go to http://www.afsp.org/…/in-t…/national-suicide-prevention-week. Consider using their sharable graphics at your school website or social media presence.

To visit the general website, go to http://www.afsp.org.