YSS COVID-19 Series - The Archive

Way back in March - March 14 to be exact - as WI faced it's first schools closing due to COVID and our governor was getting ready to enact a stay-at-home order, we wrote our first COVID-related post.  It was an attempt to start gathering and sharing resources to help everyone working with kids in libraries meet the challenge of completely re-working and reimagining service during what we thought, at first, might be a three week closure.

We wrote six blog posts in quick succession, loaded with resource links that librarians from WI and around the country were sharing with each other. The links connected to virtual learning opportunities as well as author and illustrator content that was being made available. It was, we know, a firehose of information. But in our opinion, we needed to put out as much information as possible to help us put out the fire of sudden library closures and trying to librarian from home. Here were those first posts

Library Closed? Online Programming Content 3/16/20; updated 3/26/20

Schools Closed? Share These Online Resources  3/14/20

Staying Home? More Online Content  3/16/20

Staying Safe?  Online Programming Resources 3/18/20

Hanging in There? Library Programming Resources  3/18/20

Feeling Creative? Online Library Program Resources  3/19/20

These were the start of a series that was expanded upon over these past eight-and-a-half months as the closures and pandemic continued on. We focused on a number of areas that we had some steep learning curves on: virtual storytimes and programs; copyright permissions; safe re-opening for kids and families; teen and tween programs; SLP; offline programs; messages/communication from DPI's Tessa Michaelson Schmidt; resources for kids and professional development opportunities.

Whatever people were asking for, we tried to respond through this series.

Now, with just over a 100 posts, we wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect and archive the COVID posts in one spot. While the series has slowed down, it will continue as long as libraries continue to innovate and meet the challenge - and stress - of bringing service to our communities in the midst of a pandemic. And we hope that these posts have helped YOU along the way!

Virtual Storytimes 

• Online Storytime Creation Tools  11/18/20
• Flipgard, Fanfare and Friends: Celebrity Storytime  9/21/20
• ALSC Virtual Storytime Guide is Out!  6/11/20
• Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes  5/27/20
• “How to Do a Virtual Storytime” Webinars 4/13/20
• Tips on Doing Online Storytimes During COVID-19 Closures 3/16/20; updated 3/20/20
• Storytime Goes Digital 3/20/20
• Digital Storytimes- You Do You! 3/31/20
• Digital Storytime, Screen Time and Intentionality – Oh My 4/6/20
• Facebook Live Online Storytime Tips 3/24/20
• Fixing "My Book is Backwards in Online Storytime!" on iPhone 3/22/20

Permissions (Books, Authors and Music) 

• Many Children’s Books COVID-19 Publisher Permissions Extended  6/24/20
• Virtual Storytime – Tips on Fair Use & Kids’ Privacy 5/4/20
• Want Permission? Current Info on Publishers and Authors 3/22/20; updated 4/23/20
• Music Permissions? Look No Further  3/27/20; updated 3/31/20

Virtual & Offline Programming 

• Making Digital Escape Rooms   11/23/20
• How to be a Better Video Presenter  11/2/20
• Storytime on the Road!   10/15/20
• How to Do Halloween During COVID-19  9/28/20
• Recharging Your “To-Go” Services  9/9/20
• Youth Services Program Palooza webinar 6/8/20
• Digital Escape Rooms – the Holy Grail  5/26/20
• Virtual and Offline Programs for Summer and Beyond  5/6/20
• “Grab-&-Go” Activity Kit Ideas  5/5/20
• Offline and Feeling Fine: Ideas for Programming Unvirtually  4/29/20
• Beyond E-Storytimes: Virtual Services and Programs for Youth 4/22/20
• Using Premier for Virtual Programming on Facebook 3/24/20 

Teen & Tween Virtual & Offline Programming 

• Keeping Up Your Spirits  10/4/20
• Tween Virtual Program Ideas  10/1/20
• Tips for Doing Teen Virtual Programming  9/14/20
• Teen Summer Programming During the Pandemic  7/22/20
• SLP Virtual and Offline Program Ideas for Teens/Tweens  5/22/20

SLP Programming 

• A Reimagined SLP During a Pandemic  9/30/20
• A Look Back at Summer 2020  9/10/20
• Fun Summer Library Activities During COVID-19  7/6/20
• Summer Scavenger Hunt Fun 5/30/20
• DIY Family Activities for SLP from CSLP 5/1/20
• Virtual Programming & SLP Ideas for YOU! 4/25/20

Creating Community Fun 

• Family Trivia Night  10/7/20
• Flipgard, Fanfare and Friends: River Falls Celebrity Storytime  9/21/20
• Tie Dye Masks  8/24/20
• Summer Book Picnics  7/13/20
• Engaging Kids Outdoors  7/10/20
• Downtown Story Stroll    6/5/20
• Book Cover Double  6/8/20
• Going the Extra Mile 6/15/20 
• Summer Storyteller     6/16/20

Re-Opening Issues YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• WI Library Reopening Guide Addendum 4/6/21
• The Mask Ask – Strategies for Cooperation  11/15/20
• You Are not Alone – Coping with Your New Library Life  9/19/20
• Decisions, Decisions – Thinking About Fall, School and Your Library  8/5/20 
• Back to School Considerations and Tips for Libraries  8/15/20
• We’re Re-opening – You’ve Got This!  7/15/20
• We’re Re-opening – Should We Do In-Person Programming This Fall?  7/9/20
• Digital Bytes – Unpleasant Convos (During a Pandemic) & Communication Tips (While Wearing a Mask)  7/7/20
• We’re Re-opening – Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide  6/4/20
• We’re Re-opening – Coping with Reluctant Patrons and Programming 6/3/20
• We’re Re-Opening – Cleaning and Disinfecting Youth Areas  5/13/20
• COVID-19 and Libraries: Your Questions Answered with Dr. Dipesh Navsaria (webinar) 5/19/20

Professional Development 

•       Webinar - Summer Learning Through Our Public Libraries in a Time of COVID-19  5/18/20
• Confronting Xenophobia and Supporting Asian and Asian/Pacific Communities Webinar 4/21/20
• Working From Home During COVID-19 4/19/20
• Need to Keep Up? Free Online Professional Development  3/21/20
• Webinar -Remote and Online Services & Resources for Youth Librarians  3/25/20
• Free Children’s/Teen Professional Journal Access 3/28/20
• Creating Accessibility in Your Online Programming 4/15/20; updated 4/23/20

Kids Resources 

• Books to Help Kids Cope with COVID Changes  11/22/20
• Back to School Picture Books for Teaching Coronavirus Procedures 8/11/20
• ALSC’s #Looktolibraries Resources 8/4/20
• Curated List of Free COVID-19 EBooks for Kids 4/27/20
• Infographic to Help Parents with Tech Time During COVID-19 4/2/20
• Tips on Safe and Inclusive Gaming/Livestreaming for Families 4/6/20
• Talking to Kids About COVID-19  3/28/20
• Ear Ticklin’ Listening/Viewing for Kids at Home 3/30/20

Taking Care of You 

• Human Connections in a Time of Pandemic  3/27/20
• Feeling Stress? Keeping Calm in a Difficult Time 3/21/20

Wisconsin Resources 

• WI Annual Report Summer Programming Update  7/8/20
• Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/17/20
• More Info on Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/19/20

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

• 6/18/21 recording

• 5/14/21 recording
• 4/9/21 recording
• 3/12/21 recording
• 2/12/21 recording
• 1/15/21 recording
• 12/11/20 recording
• 11/13/20 recording
• 10/9/20 recording
• 9/11/20 recording
• 8/14/20 recording
• 7/31/20 recording
• 7/17/20 recording
• 7/10/20 recording
• 6/26/20 recording
• 6/19/20 recording
• 6/11/20 recording
• 6/5/20 recording
• 5/29/20 recording
• 5/22/20 recording
• 5/15/20 recording
• 5/8/20 recording
• 5/1/20 recording
• 4/24/20 recording
• 4/17/20 recording
• 4/10/20 recording