So we’ve talked about all the graphic novel greatness, the makerspace marvelousness, and the terrific training sessions that are going on at TLA next week. (Catch that awesomeness?) What could be next? Librarians and specialists sharing their programming knowledge with everyone!
Librarianship is one of the few professions that WANT you to copy their work- we want you to learn from what we’ve done wrong, take what we’ve done well, and improve upon it, and spread it across the country like, well, minions.
TLA is packed full of programming-based sessions, from Minecraft and homeschooling to makerspaces and gaming. Storytime Underground is putting on a Guerrilla Storytime session as well- while you may think that, yea, storytime is for the littles and I work with tweens and teens- all the basic principles for excellent storytimes apply equally to tween programs (where did you think the tweens came from, aliens)?
Below the break I’ve put together a list of some of the awesome program-based sessions going on at TLA. If you grab the Pocket Schedule before going, you can find the room numbers and pop them into your own digital schedule.
TUESDAY
Minecraft in Schools
4:00 – 4:50 pm
Minecraft and other digital games are being used in classrooms and libraries to hook students to supplement curriculum, relay content. Discover ways to use Minecraft in your library.
Seann Dikkers, Patton College of Education, Ohio University.
Conference Program Committee.
WEDNESDAY
Teen & Tween Programming: Walking the Tightrope of Budgeting
10:15 – 11:50 am
Score tips and tricks for spending little to no money on crazy fun teen and tween programs. Speakers share savvy strategies for marketing library services, finding free resources, and maximizing the use of books, games, pop culture, crafts, technology, food, and more for resourceful programming. Tip #1: Network with hoarders (really!).
Michelle Beebower, Collection and Cataloging, and Nichole A. Chagnon, Saint John’s Branch, Austin Public Library; Renee Dyer, Weslaco East High School, Weslaco ISD; and Christina Hicks, Friendswood Public Library.
Young Adult Round Table and Children’s Round Table.
The Tween/Teen Librarian Team: Collaborative Programming
1:00 – 1:50 pm
Round Rock Public Library (RRPL) implemented a program for tweens and teens – two traditionally distinct groups – as a way to keep tweens active in the library during their difficult bridge years between childhood and adolescence. Learn how RRPL built this program, brought in-house departments together in partnership, and assessed the program’s effectiveness. Jane Dance and Amy German, Youth Services, Round Rock Public Library.
Young Adult Round Table and Texas Association of School Librarians.
App Smashing: Unleash Elementary Student Creativity
2:00 – 2:50 pm
Let’s smash some apps! App smashing is using multiple apps to create exciting multimedia products. You will learn which apps smash best, how to manage student project workflow, and view samples of elementary students’ projects. Christa Harker, Bowie Elementary, Richardson ISD.
Texas Association of School Librarians.
STE(A)M Ahead with Tweens and Teens
4:00 – 5:20 pm
Unsure about the difference between STEM and STEAM? Need STEAM resources or help marketing your programs to the community? Join this interactive panel and learn how to use STEAM/STEM programming to market your library.
Jane Dance, Round Rock Public Library; Jean Meadors, Owen Hopkins Branch, and Joshua Romero, Ben F. McDonald Branch, Corpus Christi Public Libraries; Jennifer Rike, Timberview High School, Mansfield ISD; Corpus Christi Public Libraries; and Catherine Ward-Crixell, New Braunfels Public Library.
Young Adult Round Table and Texas Association of School Librarians.
THURSDAY
STEM Programming for the Young and the Restless
10:00 – 11:20 am
No need to be a rocket scientist to support STEM initiatives. Use hands-on activities as well as fiction and non-fiction books to incorporate concepts into activities and engage students in each of the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Angela Young, Reed Memorial Library (Ohio).
Conference Program Committee.
Guerrilla Storytime: Share Your Awesome Skills
1:00 – 1:50 pm
Ramp up your storytime skills by learning different management techniques, implementing key literacy practices, and reveling in the solutions colleagues devise. Attendees can also take the storytime challenge in front of a live audience!
Cory Eckert, Post Oak School.
Children’s Round Table
Library Services for Homeschoolers
2:00 – 3:20 pm
Homeschooling families represent one of the most significant user groups of public libraries. Learn how to create policies, services, and programs that welcome this active, loyal, and high needs segment of your population.
Adrienne Furness, Henrietta Public Library (NY).
Conference Program Committee.
Play to Learn: Board Games in the Library
3:00 – 3:50 pm
Curriculum-aligned board games allow a library to provide an additional format to support student learning. Using game play examples, participants will identify successful elements that promote learning through play.
Christopher Harris, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
Conference Program Committee.
FRIDAY
Sharing the Wonder with One Book, One Community: Kindness Theme Unites Community
9:00 – 9:50 am
Round Rock ISD librarians showcase their recent One Book, One Community literacy initiative. Attendees will receive detailed instructions to replicate this program, including ideas for collaborative projects involving teachers, student writing, community activities, author visits, and promotional strategies.
Kate DiPronio, Cedar Valley Middle School; Laura Glaser Falli and Amelia Lewis, McNeil High School; Kristen Fournier, Forest North Elementary School; Linda Kay, Ridgeview Middle School; and Ami Uselman, Teravista Elementary School, Round Rock ISD.
Conference Program Committee.
Imagine Every Child, Every Day a Reader: Booktalks to Motivate Tweens and Teens
10:00 – 11:20 am
Discover what’s hot off the press with Teri Lesesne as she booktalks the latest and greatest books for tweens and teens. A slide presentation and an annotated bibliography will be provided.
Teri S. Lesesne and Karin Perry, Department of Library Science, Sam Houston State University.
Texas Association of School Librarians.