Bike to the Library 2017

Summer is here and if you have patrons that ride to the library, consider participating in Bike to the Library 2017. Libraries are able to choose their own dates for Bike to the Library Week this year. On the official site, librarians can subscribe to the email list, register bike events, order free bike safety literature, and more.

At my library, we are celebrating Bike to the Library Week from July 24 - July 29 with two events. The first is a bike-themed storytime where one of our local police officers will read a story and bring the police bike in for children and their families to see and learn about it. The second event is a first for us - Bike Night @ the Library. There will be a police officer there with the police bike, a smoothie-bike (equipped with a pedal powered blender) from the Dodge County Blue Zones Project, drawings for bike-related door prizes, and volunteers on hand to tighten seats and handlebars, as well as to fill tires up.

Apply for the WLA Leadership Development Institute

Youth librarians are leaders! Want to develop more of your leadership skills. Apply today for the August 9-11, 2017 Leadership Development Institute in Madison. Plumer Lovelace, WLA Executive Director,  writes:

Dear WLA members,

Three years ago the Wisconsin Library Association embarked on a mission to build a new generation of library professionals. Feedback from surveys and conversations with many of you indicated a need for the association to help provide a critical resource.  Today, I am excited to announce the newest addition to the list of professional development opportunities available through your association, the Leadership Development Institute!

The Leadership Development Institute is a highly immersive training program designed specifically for our profession. Based on five overarching leadership competencies, students interact in cohort groups throughout the program schedule. Each day is planned to include real-life applications and problem solving. Instructors are selected from within the library community as well as outside of our profession.

My thanks to the many WLA members who dedicated time, energy and support to create this program. You should all be very proud. Click here to access the program application.

Wonder-the movie

I for one and pretty excited to see how Hollywood interpreted Auggie Pullman!  At LPL, we had big plans to do a Wonder release party this past April--unfortunately the release was delayed, but at last!  It's here.
Check out the trailer and info here:  http://www.wonder.movie/

Anyone have any coordinated programming planned?

WAPL Session Recap: Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development

Post by: Dana Johnson, Youth Services Librarian, La Crosse Public Library

As a self-identifying audiobook enthusiast, I jumped at the chance to attend Sharon Grover and Jamie Swenson’s presentation on Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development. Sharon and Jamie kicked off this presentation by addressing how audiobooks support literacy development. Some parents and caregivers may feel that listening to an audio book is “cheating” and should not count as reading time.  In response to this, Sharon and Jamie introduced the Audio Publishers Association’s Sound Learning  website, which is an excellent resource in advocating for the benefits of audiobooks. In particular, library staff should familiarize themselves with this infographic to put those worried parents minds at ease. I printed and hung a copy next to my audio book section! 

The presentation then turned to using audiobooks with picture books together in a read—along experience. Here are some of the many benefits:

• Picture book read-alongs give children time to follow the text and read the illustrations
• Audiobooks can serve as a great tool for engaging distracted children in storytimes
• The music and sound effects in these audiobooks create an emotional experience that reinforces the tone of the text and story.
• Read-alongs promote phonological awareness
• Audiobooks help caregivers bridge any language or skill gaps by reinforcing correct pronunciation and removing pressure from parents who may be uncomfortable reading aloud.

My favorite takeaway from the session was that audiobooks can be a tool used to promote diversity in our library. We know from the We Need Diverse Books campaign, that children need to see themselves authentically reflected in the stories they read. Sharon and Jamie took this a step further. They advocate that we also need to make sure the voices our children hear are also diverse. I love storytime, but as a White, Midwestern, native English-speaker, I cannot do justice to a Yuyi Morales book. The children in my storytimes hear my voice and voices with similar cadence and dialect often in their schools and library. By using diverse audiobook read-alongs, like Imani’s Moon by JaNay Brown-Wood or Jaquline Woodson’s This is the Rope, children will get to hear diverse dialects, voices, and tones narrating these stories in authentic ways. 

I highly recommend looking at Sharon and Jamie’s slides and exploring the Sound Learning website.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• Teach and Be Taught: Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby et al
• STEAM Programming on a Budget - Emily Zorea
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

DIY Fidget Spinner

Fidget Spinner (Pixabay)

The latest craze in my town is fidget spinners. A month ago I didn't see any. Now they are everywhere. The fidget spinner is promoted as stress-relieving toy and as helping people, especially with ADHD, autism, and anxiety, to focus.

During my SRP promotional visits to the schools, kids are asking if we can have them as prizes for summer reading. The answer is no because I have no budget. But, there might be a DIY version that would work great in program or as a passive craft station in the library. The folks at Red Ted Art have delivered to us budget-depleted librarians an easy DIY fidget spinner. It uses my favorite, very plentiful, free thing in the world - cardboard!

Have you made a fidget spinner in a program? Share your success, tips, and instructions in the comment section.

WAPL Handouts and Slidedecks!

Pixabay Image

The WAPL conference handouts and slidedecks are up and waiting for you to learn from and peruse!

Stop here to get all the great info on youth programs!

ALA Annual Closing Speaker!

This year is my first ALA, so clearly this is happening just for me.  I hope I'll see many of you there!

Closing General Session Featuring Hilary Rodham Clinton

In 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first woman in U.S. history to become the presidential nominee of a major political party. She served as the 67th Secretary of State—from January 21, 2009, until February 1, 2013—after nearly four decades in public service advocating on behalf of children and families as an attorney, First Lady, and U.S. Senator from New York. She and her husband, President Bill Clinton, are the proud parents of Chelsea and grandparents of Charlotte and Aidan. 

She is the author of several bestselling books, including the memoirs Hard Choices and Living History, and her groundbreaking work on children, It Takes a Village. This September, Simon & Schuster will publish a new book by Secretary Clinton. Additionally, in September, It Takes a Village will be published for the first time by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers as an all-new, full-color picture book illustrated by two-time Caldecott Honor recipient Marla Frazee. 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

How did I not know?  I am a fairly well tuned-in person when it comes to all things reading obsessed, so how have I missed Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon every year?  And to add insult to injury, it takes place TWICE a year!  So I have been doubly oblivious.  Well, no more!  Now I know that every April and October the book loving world via Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Facebook and more comes together to read for 24 hours straight.  There are mini challenges and cheerleaders and snack-eating encouragement.  This would be fun to extend into the physical library, possibly with teens or as part of a Read Down Your Fines program.

Not sure about reading for 24 hours in a row?  Find more information on Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon HERE.  I found the FAQ page particularly helpful (and amusing).

Upplugged Gaming

Pixabay

Teens love technology but they are interested in what old timers used to do for fun before iPads and YouTube. Emma Carbone at Teen Services Underground writes about those games that don't need electricity or a server (ugh) in the post "Gaming Unplugged: Board Games, Card Games, and Party Games to use in Teen Programs".

I loved the board game Clue as a kid. Lots of kids today don't know the game. (The horror!) We have a copy at my library. I showed some 5th graders how to play and they loved it! Now they want to play it during our after-school board games and LEGO club.

Pro-tip I learned at a workshop but don't remember who said it: You can make life-size Jenga by using long 12-pack soda cardboard containers.

Summer is a Super Time to Share YSS Early Literacy Calendars

With all the additional patrons in the library, summer is a wonderful time to introduce your patrons to the YSS Early Literacy Calendars. Filled with easy activities emphasizing early literacy practices, the calendar is a terrific outreach piece and summer handout for parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Get your downloadable pdf file of the calendar on the WLA YSS Resources page right HERE. Each month was created by a different YSS member.

Social Justice Storytimes in Real Time

Some of you may have seen the panel program I did at WAPL with Katherine from RLPL, Hollis from Ladysmith and Virginia from Rhinelander on the idea of libraries in the resistance.  My small piece was mostly about how Youth Services can demonstrate through displays and programming that libraries are for our most marginalized community members, as well as for classic "stakeholders" in the community.

I wanted to share our Reading Without Walls Storytime here in case anyone would like to adapt it for their own community.

I had a lot of interest from community members following the election for some kind of SJ programming--especially from our local SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice) group.  Because we plan so far in advance, it took a little while to go from idea to reality, as I wanted a series of storytimes, targeting older preschoolers to early gradeschoolers.

We set up for May and selected Wednesday afternoons at 5:30--late enough that caregivers would be finished with work, hopefully early enough to have dinner afterwards.

We are midway through the series and so far the response is underwhelming, honestly.  None of the excited SURJ families have attended.  Soccer started this month on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m. (I know, rookie mistake!)  And, those who have attended have been fairly young for the program.  As in, ages 1-6 instead of 4-8.

However!  Ever the professional librarian, I luckily have materials on each week's theme for any age, so I've been able to adjust down on the age level of my books.  Our extension activities have also been simplified on the fly.  Discussion has been limited, but encouraging with the few children in attendance seeming to grasp the ideas about bullying and fairness pretty well.  Sully felt the discussion on gender in preschool was "good" after we read Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman.  He said he wouldn't mind at all if a friend wanted to wear a dress.
This week, the local paper did a fabulous article on the program, so I'm hopeful that that might boost the response for the rest of the month.  We will see!  In the meantime, I wanted to share my structure with you all, because other than timing and event conflicts, I still think this is a program that could be really great for almost any library.

Each week I am reading 3-4 books (lately 2-3 due to the age of my crowd).  My full selection lists can be found here:  https://www.librarything.com/catalog/bookwormmommy
The themes we have developed for the five weeks are families, gender identity expression and roles, poverty and food scarcity, race and culture, and immigration and refugee experiences.
We are incorporating music, a discussion activity and a craft at the end as well.  Most of my extension activities can be found on pinterest here:  https://www.pinterest.com/dawn_wacek/social-justice-storytime/

My layout went like this:
Week one

• M&M icebreaker activity to get to know one another
• The more we get together
• Families, Families, Families by Suzanne and Max Lang
• A Family is a Family by Sara O'Leary
• We all sing in the same voice
• One Family by George Shannon
• Family accordion book craft
• Family blocks found here: http://www.myfamilybuilders.com/

Are you doing any programming like this?  Please share in the comments!  And of course, let me know if you want more specifics on any one theme or activity!

2017 ALSC Summer Reading Lists

ALSC has posted their 2017 Summer Reading Lists for ages birth - 8th grade!  You can download each list AND they "can be customized to include library information, summer hours and summer reading programs for children before making copies available to schools and patrons."

Titles include: The Lending Zoo (Frank Asch), The Quickest Kid in Clarksville (Pat Zietlow Miller), Unusual Chicken for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (Kelly Jones), and In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse (Joseph Marshall). 

Find the downloadable lists HERE.

Family Media Plan Tool

Families looking for resources about managing their children's media use have an option that centers their family values in the decision-making process about what kinds of media and how much time their child should be spending online or with a screen.

The American Academy of Pediatrics launched a new online tool in conjunction with its latest recommendations on children and media use in October. Whether a child is in pre-school, high school or in between, the Family Media Plan tool can help parents define their own family guidelines for media use. The tool includes a media time calculator and is available in both English and Spanish.

STEAM Programming on a Budget

Photo from Sowing Seeds Librarian blog

Emily Zorea, Brewer Public Library's Youth Librarian, stepped out and presented her first solo session during the recent WAPL conference. Richland Center is a city of approximately 5,000 people in a fairly rural area of southwest WI.  A warm, friendly and supportive speaker who speaks comfortably without notes, Emily not only shared her tips on creating reasonably priced STEM content but also how libraries in smaller communities can really engage kids with science and coding. She engaged the audience and solicited ideas from their experience as STEAM programmers as well.

Emily recently began blogging at Sowing Seeds Librarian where she uses her blog to detail programs she's done. The blog serves as an archive for her programs as well as a how-to for interested readers. She has also been involved in WI DPI's Coding Initiative classes and generously shares her notes to help all of us become more comfortable and knowledgeable about coding with our community kids.

Attendees left with a ton of doable ideas. Her presentation slides speak for themselves. You can access them here at her blog.

Both Emily Zorea and Emily Sanders (whose TAB programs were featured last week on the blog) are new youth library presenters at Wisconsin state conferences.  We hope their presentations inspire YOU to take the leap, put together a program or panel and share your journey at a conference. New voices and perspectives (irregardless of age) are always welcome!  The YSS board, who always puts together an incredible stack of conference programs, is waiting to hear from you.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• Teach and Be Taught: Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

YSS WAPL Member Meeting

On Thursday night during WAPL, the YSS board and several members had a chance to sit down and talk about upcoming YSS events and to do some brainstorming about YSS in general.

Members volunteered to write blog posts about the sessions they attended at WAPL. Watch for guest posts by Sue Abrahamson, Emily Zorea, Leah Langby, Dana Johnson and Marge Louch-Wouters. So even if you weren’t able to attend WAPL, you can still learn about the amazing things our members are doing at their libraries.

Other topics discussed:

How to get involved with YSS:

The YSS Board has openings: a Chair-Elect and two Members-at-Large. 

Serving as Chair-Elect is a three-year commitment (Chair-Elect, Chair, Past-Chair), and Members-at-Large serve for two years. The board meets monthly (usually virtually, though we have a few in-person meetings each year), and board members help shepherd many YSS initiatives. 

Contact Leah Langby (langby@ifls.lib.wi.us) if you are interested in running or if you need more information to make a decision.

YSS Regional Meet Up: Friday, May 19 12:30-4:00 PM

Starting Location:  Manitowoc Public Library 707 Quay St. Manitowoc, WI 54220

Ending Location:  Lester Public Library 1001 Adams. St. Two Rivers, WI 54241

We’ll begin the afternoon at the Manitowoc Public Library and then travel up the lakeshore to the Lester Public Library in Two Rivers.

In Manitowoc, YSS Member Susie Menk shares information about MeeperBots, technology she has been using with tweens. Attendees will get a chance to play with these awesome robots!

At 2:00, we'll take the scenic 10-minute drive to the Lester Public Library. YSS member Terry Ehle takes us on a tour of the library's early literacy center and all-important dramatic play area.

We finish the afternoon with refreshments and an informal program share. Bring a program that is working or has worked for you, or one that you are planning for summer.

Come get inspired—and do some inspiring of your own!

Have a colleague that isn’t a YSS member yet? Invite them along and they can see what YSS is all about!

Please visit this link to let us know if you can join us: https://goo.gl/forms/9JgbJIRBQ0nQE4U33

Questions? Contact Terry Ehle at tehle@lesterlibrary.org

Finally, the meeting wrapped up with a quick brainstorm on possible authors for the next YSS luncheon for WLA 2018.

Thank you to all members who attended!

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• STEAM Programming on a Budget: Planning High Interest Programs to Engage Families and Youth - Emily Zorea
• Teach and be Taught - Teens at the Library - Emily Sanders
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

Libraries as a No Hit Zone

Post by Leah Langby

As many of you may remember from a blog post late last year, the LaCrosse Public Library has recently been working with Gunderson Health, a major healthcare provider in their area, to promote public places as No Hit Zones.  I was very intrigued with this idea, and happy to attend a session about it.  Dana Johnson and Dawn Wacek discussed the concept of the No Hit Zone: making it clear that hitting of any kind is not tolerated in the library, and stepping in with assistance before situations escalate to the point of violence.  They talked about the way they have discussed this branding change with library staff and patrons—particularly those who believe that corporal punishment is an effective and important discipline tool.  Pro-tip:  you probably won’t change anyone’s opinion about the merits of corporal punishment in one conversation, but you can make a strong case for having behavior standards for your public space.  Finally, they discussed ways that the No Hit Zone is like The Wakanheza Project, which emphasizes the challenges of parenting in public, and empowers staff to step in to support parents or others in the moment to diffuse situations that may otherwise escalate.

There are lots of resources available on the No Hit Zone website.  And if you are intrigued by The Wakanheza Project, contact your library system, because there are probably people in your area who are willing to share resources and ideas about it, based on a train-the-trainer session held five or six years ago.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• STEAM Programming on a Budget: Planning High Interest Programs to Engage Families and Youth - Emily Zorea
• Teach and Be Taught - Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

Flip the Children’s Space: A Face Lift for Kids?

In the recent WAPL session, Flip the Children’s Space: A Face Lift for Kids?, Patricia S. Becker and Susan Queiser from Barron Public Library shared how they transformed a 103-year-old Carnegie library into a space that would welcome children and families to stay and read. Before their transformation, families would stay at the library only for approximately 15 minutes. Now, they regularly have families in the library for an hour visit.

Their project included transforming their picture book collection into a hybrid system of both subject bins (using freezer crates), and alphabetized shelves. For non-fiction, they used a version of Dewey Light that was driven by the question, “Why are we using decimals in our non-fiction collections when students do not learn decimals until 4^th grade?” Wanting to make the space more intuitive for kids, they did away with the numbers altogether and instead organized their non-fiction books into subjects.

They also bravely added new shelf tops in a fun style, a new desk, weeded a substantial part of their collections to showcase their best books (and to reveal holes in their collection) and also created a tween area. No additional staff time was used for this 13-month project, and all the weeding and re-cataloging happened during regular staff hours. To make the project more interesting, they began the project the same day as their summer reading program opened. The results have been substantial, for both patrons and staff. Now, families are staying in the library longer because they have places to sit and read, thanks to new furniture purchased through Wayfair. Also, the children’s librarian can how shelf-read the non-fiction books in 25 minutes. Before this transformation, that project took two days.

Throughout the process, the history of the Carnegie building was preserved, with the original shelving, colors, and layout still represented. This respect to the library’s heritage, while having the courage to re-learn everything we have been taught about how to shelve books, has allowed their library to thrive as a destination in their community. Both speakers welcomed questions for any librarian considering a similar project.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Teach and Be Taught- Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• STEAM Programming on a Budget: Planning High Interest Programs to Engage Families and Youth - Emily Zorea
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

YSS Powerhouse Presents: Serving Homeschoolers Follow-up

We had a webinar for the YSS Powerhouse Presents series yesterday, and here are the relevant links:

YSS Powerhouse Presents:  Serving Homeschoolers with Leah Langby, Sarah Cournoyer, Ashley Thiem-Menning, and Kathleen Larson.  Recording.  Slides.   Kathleen's Pinterest Board.  Sarah's Survey.

He, She, They

Pixabay

At my library we hosted "A Day of Learning: A Conversation about Transgender Youth". GSAFE created the event toolkit but the local high school chapter of GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) hosted the program. The library provided space and snacks along with helping with promotion. The event included a reading of I Am Jazz and discussion plus two videos about transgender and gender fluid people.

I attended a few GSA meetings in preparation of the event. At the beginning of each meeting, the students would tell the highlight of their week and what pronouns they were using this week. I'm Kelly. She, Her, Hers. I love the nice weather.

From the meetings and the event, I learned young people don't necessarily believe in two genders. They don't worry about the labels. They are who they are. The NPR article "A New Generation Overthrows Gender" has an interview with a non-binary young person. At the Day of Learning event, the students showed the short movie "Tomgirl" about Jack who doesn't fit easily into the boy or girl gender categories.

Besides broadening my perspective on gender, I was lucky to work with such well-spoken and dedicated teen advocates for inclusion and diversity.

If you are interested in the event toolkit, please email Shawna Kollath, shawna@gsafewi.org.

Here is the 2017 Rainbow Book List - GLBTQ Books for Children & Teens from ALA to help with displays and collection development.

Teen Readers' Advisory in the Age of the Smartphone

YALSA

YALSA's new Book Finder app and database is something I'm excited about introducing to teens and other readers of YA literature. Using either the desktop or the mobile app, which is slick and graphically pleasing, anyone can access the entirety of 4,000 titles from YALSA's awards and other lists of titles.

One major benefit is that this database is searchable and not limited to the chronological award lists that had to be accessed individually. Librarians, teens, and parents can download the free app to find new reads on either Android or iOS devices. The Book Finder is searchable by award/booklist, author, genre, or award year. Find out more about the database HERE or about the app HERE.

Teach and Be Taught - Teens in the Library

Emily Sanders and teens in one of their "Sherlockian Extravaganza" programs

Emily Sanders, Teen Librarian at the Barrett Memorial Library in Williams Bay, presented a lively, vivacious and information-packed session this past week at the WAPL conference in Stevens Point on creating and encouraging a Teen Advisory Board.

Their TAB launched in January 2016. But before it did, Emily spent the fall enthusiastically talking to any and all middle and high schoolers getting them pumped up about the upcoming TAB. By laying that advocacy groundwork and building excitement, the launch itself was a success. She asked the teens to make a one-year commitment for the monthly meetings, attend at least three programs and assist with the library's booksale. Teens who participate get service hours, letters of recommendation and a positive volunteer experience to put on applications.

The teens run their own meetings with Emily there in an "advisory" capacity. She helps them with the agenda and then they are off.  There is always pizza and snacks at these hour-longish meetings.  The teens are given alot of agency to create a group that created programs for themselves - and younger kids including a Harry Potter Party.  They also made buttons for sale as a fundraiser  - this led to "button lock-ins" where the TAB kids could participate in fun activities and crank out more buttons to sell after hours.

Sprinkled throughout the presentation were videos of the TAB teens talking about the work they did and what mattered to them.

Among Emily's tips for success with teens?

• Get the teens excited by getting out from behind the desk.
• Listen to what teens want and think.
• Pay attention to what they say.
• Ask them to share ideas.
• Let teens pick their roles in program.

Please stop by the WAPL conference site in the next few weeks to see Emily's slidedeck of her 4:30pm Thursday presentation. And if you get a chance to see Emily present, do. She had us all rocking during the last session of the day!

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• STEAM Programming on a Budget: Planning High Interest Programs to Engage Families and Youth - Emily Zorea
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.