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Spring Institute for Youth Services 2024 BREAKOUT SESSIONS

*Schedule is subject to change

Thursday, March 7, 2024

11:00 – 11:45 AM  |  1:45 – 2:30 PM  |  3:00 - 3:45 PM

Friday, March 8, 2024

10:45 – 11:30 AM  |  11:45 AM – 12:30 PM  |  2:15 – 3:00 PM

Thursday | 11:00 – 11:45 AM

Power of Play: Playful Programming for ALL Ages

Room: A1

We all know that young children learn through play, but what other benefits can play offer? Play can inspire, connect, relax, challenge, and build community - which aligns beautifully with our goals as librarians. Come get inspired to create playful programming for library patrons of all ages in this interactive presentation!

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand the benefits of play.
• Gain three concrete examples of how they might incorporate play into their own library programming.
• Have the opportunity to explore a variety of play-based programming first-hand.

Speakers

Fantastic Felt: The Art of Feltboards in Storytime

Room: A2

We know that children learn in many different ways and, especially for young children, sitting quietly and looking at a book may not be one of them. Feltboards and puppets allow children to engage with stories in new and exciting ways. This session is about how to use the felt board to play interactive games and story tell. I will talk about what makes a great feltboard, what stories work best, how to use them in storytime, how to ease your way into puppetry, and will end with helping participants create their very own Little Mouse feltboard game.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (ppt)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Gain confidence in pulling out the feltboard in storytime.
• Choose stories and games for the feltboard that they can use effectively in their storytime.
• Experience making their own feltboard stories and be inspired to make more!

Speaker

Read More, Hate Less: MASL’s MISelf in Books Project

Room: A3

There are countless reasons why access to inclusive books is important. We need to protect our kids’ access to inclusive books and actively work to connect readers with books that celebrate the full human experience because we want children to see themselves, and the greater world, in our library collections. One resource to help connect kids to inclusive texts is the MISelf in Books list, created annually by the Michigan Association of School Librarians. Our interactive session will include a deep dive into the project, the background of how the project started and the guiding principles of the work including a look at how books are identified for review, the evaluation tools that we use, and the content of the list. The MISelf in Books project is in its 4th year and we will share what we have learned, changed, and adjusted along the way.

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand the purpose, background and criteria for the MISelf in Books list.
• Understand ways to use the list with their patrons.

Speakers

Dynamic Displays: Spice Up Your Space

Room: D

This session will cover tips for creating library displays, including coordinating, maintaining, and refreshing, resources for ideas and inspiration, and adapting to different library spaces. We will talk about ensuring that displays are inclusive, creating displays to engage the community, and using displays to identify gaps in collections. Our presentation will include photos and descriptions of displays we have created, including displays that are interactive, highlight collections, promote programs, feature cultural celebrations, enhance readers advisory, tie in to social media and other library services, and more. Attendees will leave with a list of new display ideas and tips for implementing them in their own libraries.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)
• Handout (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Gain a list of display ideas that they can implement in their library.
• Learn at least three general tips for creating and maintaining displays.
• Learn how to ensure their displays are inclusive.

Speakers

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Thursday | 1:45 – 2:30 PM

Beyond Storytime

Room: A2

The Ready to Read Michigan Toolkit: Workshops for Parents and Early Childhood Educators, offers support for library staff to facilitate fun workshops for the very people that spend the most time with young children. Using the 5 practices of Every Child Ready to Read, the Ready to Read Michigan Toolkit provides scripts, resources, and print materials for library staff to empower parents, caregivers, and early childcare providers to talk, sing, read, write, and play modeled in age-appropriate playful, joyful ways. Techniques for involving parents of all backgrounds and sharing early literacy messages with them are also addressed.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Leave equipped with the information, skills, and tools needed to promote early literacy in their community via RTRM’s free toolkit which includes plans for three parent-child workshops and two workshops for childcare professionals.
• Be able to replicate or modify at least 4 activities that embody the five early literacy practices of Every Child Ready to Read, according to the different ages and stages of children they are working with.
• Be able to share books with children of all ages in at least three joyful ways that build early literacy skills, without requiring them to actually read the book aloud.

Speakers

Gamify the Community Scavenger Hunt: Road Trip Adventure

Room: A3

Join the Genesee District Library (GDL) Road Trip Adventure and discover how to gamify your community-wide scavenger hunt. During summer 2023, GDL patrons were challenged to visit all 19 library branches and to answer a simple library-themed trivia question. Correctly answering the question earned participants trading cards unique to each branch. When participants earned all 19 cards, they received a bonus card for a total of 20 trading cards. This program was the sleeper hit of the summer, with patrons of all ages visiting GDL library branches in groups to collect trading cards. This presentation will outline the details of the program and how to create a community game for your library. Topics covered include: game ideas, creating trading cards as incentives, using a digital version of the game to increase access, and finding inspiration for game play in summer reading challenge themes. The Road Trip is a fun, interactive way to encourage patrons to explore their library and community.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)
• Staff instructions (pdf)
• Clue sheet (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Learn ways of customizing the program to their library and community, including ideas for digital versions to increase access.
• Learn best practices for creating trading cards.
• Learn tips for getting buy-in from staff and community partners.

Speaker

How to Implement a Successful Pokémon TCG Program

Room: A1

Are your kids into Pokémon Trading Cards, but not sure how to do a program on them? This session will show you how to implement a Pokémon Card program. We will go over brief basics on how to play the game and ways to build Pokémon decks. More time will be spent on how we started our program, going over what went well and what we would do differently, and what new ideas you can bring and try out.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)
• Parent guide (pdf)
• Quick rules guide (doc)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Have a better understanding of how the Pokémon Trading Card Game works as a whole.
• Be equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary to start their own similar programs.
• Be inspired to try new things with this idea whether it's doing Card Tournaments or Card Painting.

Speakers

Social Media, Songs, and Storytime: a Q and A with Kate Reynolds

Room: D

Kate Reynolds (aka the Lavender Librarian), creator and director of Storytime Solidarity, is taking questions about storytime, thoughtful song selection, and optimizing your library’s social media presence.

Speakers

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Thursday | 3:00 – 3:45 PM

Popcorn Sessions

In our special popcorn sessions, we ask you all to be the experts! Everyone is doing great work in their libraries and this is the moment to share with our peers. We'll have a jar of questions and invite people to pick a question and share with the group. Questions will be based on the theme of the session: what's your favorite teen craft? or how do you help toddlers with the wiggles? or what's your favorite school-age program? This is an interactive session so come prepared to share!

Popcorn Session Topics

Early Literacy

Room: A1

Moderators

Elementary Age Programming

Room: A2

Moderators

Teen Services

Room: A3

Moderators

Intellectual Freedom

Room: D

Moderators

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Friday | 10:45 – 11:30 AM

Handling Book Challenges on the Ground

Room: D

The ALA reported a record number of censorship attempts to library materials in 2022, and preliminary data from 2023 indicates a 20% increase. While many of us are not responsible for setting policies and addressing official challenges, working with the public means fielding complaints and questions about materials all the time. In this session, we’ll talk about being the first line of defense in protecting intellectual freedom, strategies for talking with patrons, and how to protect your own mental and emotional wellbeing while dealing with a nationwide rise in materials challenges.

Speaker

Leadership Tales from the Children's Area

Room: A3

Join us for an insightful conference panel session featuring accomplished library directors who embarked on their careers in youth services. These seasoned professionals will share their experiences and expertise on advancing in the library field. Delve into discussions on navigating the trajectory from the children's section to leadership roles, gaining valuable insights into the skills and perspectives acquired during their time in youth services. Gain inspiration and practical advice as these directors reflect on the impact of their early roles in shaping their current successful leadership positions.

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Learn valuable leadership lessons as directors share anecdotes and reflections on how their time in youth services shaped their leadership philosophies.
• Learn strategies for transitioning from youth services to the director’s office.
• Develop a deeper understanding of how early roles in youth services contribute to the skillset and leadership style of library directors.

Moderator

Panelists

Tender Topics: Helping Families with Difficult Conversations

Room: A2

Families deal with a variety of issues that may be difficult to discuss. This session will provide concrete examples of materials and resources that assist parents and caregivers of young children with sensitive issues. Topics include mental health, death of a pet or family member, adoption, differing abilities, family types, gender stereotypes, and more. Learn how the West Bloomfield Library addressed these issues by creating circulating Tender Topic kits.

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand what sensitive issues families in their community may be facing.
• Be able to identify materials, including toys and games, that can assist with these difficult issues.
• Be able to create simple kits for circulation regardless of budget.

Speaker

Welcoming Homeschool Families with Resources and Programming

Room: A1

When podcasters and news articles talk about the increase in homeschooling across the United States, they rarely mention public libraries. However, as people who work in libraries, we know that families depend on their public libraries and the staff therein to provide resources and knowledge. This session will focus on how library staff members can offer support to families that have chosen alternative school options for their children including programming/activity ideas and MeL eResource content.

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Have ideas for programming and activities that support homeschool families.
• Have a variety of resources to provide for homeschool families.

Speakers

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Friday | 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Who Are You? The Problems with Appropriation and Native Identity

Room: A1

Cultural appropriation is everywhere in American society and culture but no population has experienced more appropriation than that of natives. From sports to food to holidays, this breakout will bring awareness on how appropriation of native culture occurs and the negative impacts it can have.

Speaker

Creating Community Through Story Book Trails

Room: A3

It's a beautiful day at the library story book trail. Story book trails tick all the boxes of literacy outreach and community engagement. They encourage early literacy, family literacy, physical activity, and engagement with nature. Building permanent story book trails where the stories are changed out monthly offers ongoing connections with your community. This presentation will lay out the process of choosing a trail location, temporary or permanent display units, seeking community partners, and creating a display. Resources will be provided. Together, attendees will brainstorm page prompt ideas and post-trail activities to bring patrons of all ages back to the library.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)
• Locating permissions for EBSCO ebooks (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Understand the process of creating a story book trails: from choosing a location, to finding community partners, selecting and installing display units, and creating and changing displays.
• Learn what to consider when choosing a location, including ease of access for young families and seniors, and best practices for changing the story each month.
• Discover ways to entice patrons of all ages back to the library after they walk the trail.

Speaker

Beyond the Breakout Box: Take Your Escape Rooms to the Next Level

Room: A2

Escape rooms, puzzles, and treasure hunts have long been popular library programs, but are you ready to venture beyond the Breakout box or checklist-style scavenger hunt? Take your escape room programs to the next level! Learn tips for designing your own adventures that get families exploring, thinking, and having fun together, both in the library and out in the community. Hear how we’ve created escape room-style programming to challenge and engage patrons of all ages - and how these programs can be cost-effective, flexible, and staffing-friendly too! And bring your thinking caps - we'll be trying our hand at solving some puzzles of our own!

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Learn basic tips for designing an effective puzzle.
• Learn how technology and everyday materials can be utilized in bringing puzzles to life.
• Experience solving an escape room and scavenger hunt designed with these principles.

Speaker

Building Teen Resilience: Using Trauma-Informed Practices to Boost Teen Services

Room: D

Every person you meet is going through something. How do we recognize when our teen patrons are struggling and how can we help them out?

Researchers have done the work of finding some of those answers, and we want to share with all of you! Learn about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how those can impact both mental and physical health in children and teens; learn how to use trauma-informed practices in your library to create a safe and welcoming environment for teens; and learn how to help your teen patrons build resilience, which is the key to a healthier life post-trauma.

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (ppt)
• References (doc)
• Resilience and Child Traumatic Stress (pdf)
• Trauma and Resilience Snapshot (pdf)
• ACEs flyer (pdf)

Speaker

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Friday | 2:15 – 3:00 PM

Storytime on Wheels: Expanding Community Outreach

Room: D

Looking for a way to rejuvenate your storytime? RDL’s Storytime on Wheels program utilizes our new Bookmobile to take storytime into the community. But you don’t have to have a mobile library! Anyone who is doing storytime at the library can be doing storytime in their community. Come learn how!

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Be able to identify components needed for creating their own Storytime on Wheels programs.
• Be able to identify key factors in combining outreach with existing programs.
• Have some strategies to find, contact and maintain relationships with community partners.

Speakers

Should It Stay or Should It Go?

Room: A2

Do you feel like you're wasting time putting together programming no one attends? Has your library invested time and money into a program that would positively impact the community, but no one attends? Do you hate the phrase "that's how it's always been done" -- but don't know how to get the ball rolling toward doing things differently? We've been there too, and want to prepare you for the difficult conversations that come with a program overhaul -- and show you how you can get past those program fails and reframe them as success. Get the tools to objectively analyze your existing programming, discuss program effectiveness with colleagues and stakeholders, and consider whether or not program resources can be better utilized -- or canceled altogether.

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Receive tools and information to assist in critically evaluating current program offerings and collections in their libraries, and be able to use these tools to assess a program's value in the short-term, as well as to forecast its long-term success.
• Be able to objectively analyze their programs to ensure that they are worth the library's financial and staffing investment.
• Be empowered to have difficult conversations about their programs' effectiveness with their supervisors, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

Speakers

Won't You Be Our Neighbor? Scavenger Hunts & Field Trips

Room: A1

Marshall District Library took the 2023 summer reading theme of All Together Now and customized it for their community. Their Summer Reading Program was a nod to some of the best educational TV programs for youth: Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, Magic School Bus, and, of course, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Just as these programs brought kids from all over "together" to learn, so did the library's summer programs. The focus was on Comm-UNITY and encouraging people to connect‚ to support local businesses, attend library programs, and read about neighbors everywhere! The Programming and Community Engagement Department will share how their Won't You Be Our Neighbor month-long scavenger hunt, involving scrapbooks, trading cards, and customized puzzles, engaged over 300 families and nearly 40 businesses. They'll share how they leveraged community partnerships to take library patrons "behind the scenes" to meet their neighbors and explore together what makes Marshall magical. Best of all, they'll inspire you to think about your neighbors and what makes your community special so you might highlight the ways it's a beautiful day all around your community!

Session Materials

• Presentation slides (external link)
• Magical community asset map (pdf)

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Have an asset list of their unique community.
• Be inspired to highlight what makes their community special.
• Understand how partnerships can help you work smarter and not harder.

Speakers

Memorable Moments: Using Storytelling in Tabletop Games

Room: A3

Many libraries are now hosting their own tabletop role playing game groups- playing Dungeons & Dragons with their community of tweens and teens. The problem is that once you've gotten your group started, where do you go from there? The best way forward could lie in the set of skills you use with your Toddler Time! This session aims to show how props, creativity, and storytelling can all come together to create memorable moments for all of your players at the table. You might even pick up some inspiration for your own tabletop programs on the way!

Outcomes

At the end of the session, participants will:

• Feel confident in creating compelling plot for their tabletop players.
• Understand how they can use improve and active listening in their games.
• Know how they can use their storytelling skills to keep players engaged.

Speaker

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