WEMTA Conference Registration Open

The WI Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) annual conference is coming up March 6-8 at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. There is a great line-up of sessions, keynotes and authors. There are multiple sessions on interest to public youth librarians as well as school librarians

Each session will be both live at the conference and virtual via Zoom so attendees can participate at the level they are able to and comfortable with. At registration, you pick the live or virtual conference experience.

And you know what? Current WLA members can attend at WEMTA member prices!  Early bird registration has been extended through Friday, February 11. See the registration info link to find out how you can get the WEMTA member rate.

For detailed information, follow the links below:

• Keynotes: https://www.wemta.org/events/conference.cfm

• General sessions:: https://www.wemta.org/events/sessions.cfm

• Conference overview: https://www.wemta.org/events/schedule-overview.cfm

• Registration: https://www.wemta.org/events/registration.cfm

Extend Your Partnerships with Dual Association Membership

Image by Anemone 23 from Pixabay

Belonging to professional organizations creates opportunities for growth, avenues for networking, and expands our community of practice. Belonging to TWO organizations can double your opportunities without doubling your financial investment! The Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) and the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) are both rich with value for their members, and they offer discounts to members who join both.

WLA/YSS Highlights

WLA offers professional support and opportunities through committee work, mentorship opportunities and four conferences a year: the 3 ½ day fall annual conference; a 1 day support staff day; a 3 day public library-focused conference and a 3 day academic library focused conference. In addition, WLA’s very active Youth Services Section offers webinars and opportunities to meet-up virtually; supports the Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Children’s Book Award and produces Youth Services Shout-Out blog, an active blog with events, information and opinion pieces on all things in library youth services.

WEMTA Highlights

WEMTA offers support to empower educators to provide learning experiences that prepare students to flourish in an information-rich world. WEMTA hosts regular webinars and sends out a Digital Dispatch newsletter with updates on what the organization is working on. There is an annual 3 day conference held in the spring each year focusing on books, technology and other library related topics. One of the most active committees works closely with members in Madison on Legislation and Advocacy for students, libraries and librarians.

Want to be part of these strong networking communities to continue school and public library partnerships? Here’s how to join:

WEMTA Membership: WLA members can join WEMTA for the reduced rate of $25 annually

WLA Membership. WEMTA members can join WLA for the reduced rate of $50 annually.

This message brought to you through the collaboration of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Raquel Rand (WEMTA) .

Upcoming WEMTA Confernce

With over 60 sessions plus keynotes, this virtual conference focusing on literacy, technology and practical solutions to challenges for those working with youth in classroom settings is open to any interested librarian. WLA members can register at the WEMTA member price. See registration, schedules and information here for the Feb 7 & 8 conference.

Plus there are WEMTA Bedtime Stories January 31 - Feb 6, some of which are open to the public even if you don't attend.

Public Library & School Library Collaboration - Feedback Needed!

In the spirit of work at the national level through ALA’s State Ecosystem Initiative and the new Public Library & School Library Collaboration Toolkit done through collaborative efforts of AASL, YALSA, and ALSC, WEMTA, WLA, and DPI are working together to support and foster communications and collaborations among Wisconsin public and school librarians in order to better support the communities we serve. Each quarter we will share a resource, strategy, or example with you that could be used as a talking point in your community. Please use these ideas to initiate or continue to build relationships with public and school librarians.

Looking for Your Feedback - Supporting Collaboration Survey

Almost two years ago a small group of librarians started thinking about the great things happening with public and school libraries and wanted to find a way to both promote these efforts and encourage even more collaboration. We began with great conversations and created this “Tidbit” column, which has become part of the WLA and WEMTA newsletters. Now, as we look toward the future, we are looking to all of our colleagues throughout Wisconsin to participate and help channel our group’s energy in the most productive, and effective direction.

We began gathering feedback at the WLA Conference this fall where we interviewed and surveyed people who visited our table in the exhibit hall, which was hosted by the Department of Public Instruction. As a way to say thank you, each participant received a sticker proudly announcing, “I’m Connecting Wisconsin Libraries.” In March, we hope to do a similar activity at the WEMTA Conference. 

Since not everyone is able to attend these conferences, and we truly want to hear from as many public and school librarians as possible, here is a link to our survey. Please consider filling it out so that we can get a clearer picture of what public and school collaboration looks like in our state and begin to find ways to overcome some of the challenges that may be standing in our way. We will be analyzing the data and sharing the results of these surveys in spring of 2020. 

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your thoughts with us. And, if you want that super awesome sticker for your laptop or water bottle, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Monica Treptow, School Library Consultant, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning, 2109 South Stoughton Rd, Madison, WI, 53716.

This message brought to you through the collaboration of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Micki Uppena (WEMTA) .

WEMTA Conference Registration is Open!

The WEMTA March 22-24th 2020 Conference attendee registration is OPEN!

Please go to https://tinyurl.com/20wemtareg for the registration directions and to register.

Early-bird discounts will end January 15th, 2020 so register today!

WEMTA Conference Proposal Deadline Extended

Our colleagues in WEMTA write:

Get ConnectED #WEMTA20 and submit a Session Proposal for our annual conference March 22nd-24th 2020 at the Kalahari Resorts & Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. Session proposals are due November 17th and primary presenters receive discounted registration. This year we have special Bring Your Administrator pricing. More information available on our website.   

 (Hint: You can check out this earlier WLA Youth Services Section blog post for ideas on programs you might propose!)

WEMTA Conference Proposals Open

The Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association has opened its call for proposals for their 2020 annual conference! Held at the Kalahari on March 22-24th, this conference is a great place to share content relevant to our school media colleagues. What a great opportunity to both present and attend a youth library conference!

This doesn't just necessarily mean proposing sessions on collaborative or cooperative programs you might be doing with local school colleagues though. You can think outside the box and develop a proposal on programs (coding; makerspaces; pop-up programs; intergenerational programs) that would be just as successful at the school library as at the public library. You may be doing some deep work on building a more diverse or inclusive collection for a specific age level - sharing your strategies and discoveries would be a possible proposal. Booktalking; advocacy tips; weeding mightiness; effective planning strategies; coping with stress and using self-care strategies; and a host of other topics can all be easily adapted from public library youth services to school librarianship.

Some of the WEMTA-suggested session topics include: advocacy; coaching and professional development; coding; connection/collaboration, community outreach; culturally responsive instruction; digital citizenship; engagement; growth mindset; library management; literacy; makerspace; mobile devices; online tools; personalized learning; problem solving/critical thinking.


Stop here to submit your proposal(s).  The deadline is October 31st!  has been extended to Nov 17.

Partnering with Our Schools

In the spirit of work at the national level through ALA’s State Ecosystem Initiative and the new Public Library & School Library Collaboration Toolkit done through collaborative efforts of AASL, YALSA, and ALSC, WEMTA, WLA, and DPI are working together to support and foster communications and collaborations among Wisconsin public and school librarians in order to better support the communities we serve. Each quarter we will share a resource, strategy, or example with you that could be used as a talking point in your community. Please use these ideas to initiate or continue to build relationships with public and school librarians.

The Wisconsin School Digital Library Consortium (WSDLC) and the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) are two, fun, easy-to-use ways to promote year-round literacy with students when they use school and public libraries. The WSDLC, launched in January 2018, provides digital audio and ebooks to over 130,000 students in over 100 districts across Wisconsin. The WPLC, which was used as a model for WSDLC, provides a collection of over 77,000 digital and audio ebooks to Wisconsin residents through their public libraries. The WSDLC has three collections to serve elementary, middle and high school students that contain a total of over 7,000 copies of over 4200 unique titles. These collections are available to schools and districts at a low cost, which is covered by district Common School Funds, to help provide equitable access to digital materials throughout our state. The content and platform for the WSDLC is provided by OverDrive, and access is made easy through the Sora App.

The Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) provides e-content to patrons through the WI Digital Library via the Libby App, so why should public librarians become familiar with the WSDLC? And, why should school librarians learn more about WPLC? Because these resources provide great opportunities for public and school library partnerships!

• Both the WPLC and WSDLC use the same vendor and the apps for each audience are similar. There is no need for training staff or patrons.

• There are lots of materials available during the summer within the WSDLC. The wait time for titles is minimal, so this helps keep the reading momentum going with students when they are not in school and prevents “summer slide.” Also, the Sora app makes it easy to track and reward reading progress with a badging system, as well as allowing the ability to curate summer reading lists.

• Many of the school-age patrons in public libraries will already be familiar with the look and feel of the WSDLC collections; however, they may not know they can access the titles at their public library, too.

• School librarians can benefit from helping students access the WPLC because it effectively extends the list of available digital resources for students and faculty without needing additional training.

• By working together to cross promote these resources, both schools and public libraries gain potential users for their collections. Even more importantly, you provide valuable connections between the lives of children in and outside of school.

For more information or questions regarding WSDLC or WPLC, please connect with your school or public librarian, or reach out to WiLS.

This message is brought to you through the collaborations of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Michele Green (WEMTA) .

WEMTA Conference Registration Opens

Register today for the WEMTA Conference , March 31st-April 2nd in Wisconsin Dells at the Kalahari

Reasons to Register

• 12 concurrent sessions with a wide variety of technology and literacy topics led by educators, see them here 
• Listen to our talented keynotes Patricia Brown and Varian Johnson as well as our spotlight speakers Kevin Jarrett and Jen Zurawski
• Network with practitioners and administrators
• Get books autographed Monday by Jessica Gunderson  (sponsored by Follett) and on Tuesday by Varian Johnson (sponsored by Scholastic)
• Chance to win an awesome door prize!                                                                  
• 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, a Sunday Popcorn Bar & Monday Dessert Break included with 3 day registration
• Monday night Trivia Night with pizza, beer & cash bar for $15 (proceeds benefit our Permanent Endowment Trust)
• Free parking!

Early Bird Prices!

Only $195 (early bird) for the full 3 days before February 20, 2019. Register online here. 

This Message Brought to You by WLA and WEMTA!

In the spirit of work at the national level through ALA’s State Ecosystem Initiative and the new Public Library & School Library Collaboration Toolkit done through collaborative efforts of AASL, YALSA, and ALSC, WEMTA, WLA, and DPI are working together to support and foster communications and collaborations among Wisconsin public and school librarians in order to better support the communities we serve. Each quarter we will share a resource, strategy, or example with you that could be used as a talking point in your community. Please use these ideas to initiate or continue to build relationships with public and school librarians.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH ASCHOOL/PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLABORATION

There are many ways that we can initiate partnerships and networking with our school and public library colleagues. One excellent way is capitalizing on already existing national efforts with high visibility and support materials. To get started or refresh your collaborations, the Public Library and School Library Collaboration Toolkit, developed by AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee on School/Public Library Cooperation, suggests: “The American Library Association (ALA) hosts various initiatives relevant to both school and public libraries, offering opportunities to partner and share resources:   

• ALSC’s Every Child Ready to Read initiative is relevant for preschool and elementary schools, as well as public libraries year-round
• Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week are national celebrations that occur annually
• National Library Week is held every April, which is also School Library Month
• September is Library
• Card Sign-up Month
• Additional ALA events occur throughout the year

If you have already planned activities, consider suggesting a joint flyer that promotes opportunities at both locations. Joint promotion shows patrons that the public library and school library are extensions of each other. Promoting each other’s events is a simple way to start a partnership and can evolve into co-hosting events.”

You can find more information about hosting collaborative events in the Toolkit (pp 22-33). Both WLA and WEMTA value the partnerships of all type of libraries. There are several of these partnerships happening around the state right now! Want to share how you have partnered and potentially be spotlighted in an upcoming Tidbit? Fill out THIS FORM and share your ideas!  

This message brought to you through the collaborations of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), WisconsinLibrary Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Michele Green (WEMTA).

Creating Fun at WEMTA18

WLA and YSS are at the annual WI Media and Technology Association conference in the Dells - both presenting (Julie Kinney, Linda Jerome, Marge Loch-Wouters) and exhibiting.

We are encouraging our school media colleagues to join us as WLA members. Thanks to the outstanding design work of Terry Ehle who made amazing handouts and posters, our booth is a popular stop.  Here are a few pictures of the fun!

Howdy Pardner! School Public Library Cooperation

Image

Working with colleagues in public libraries or schools is a great way to serve our youth community better. It can seem daunting if you don't have a relationship started but once you do, the possibilities are limitless!

On Tuesday, March 24, YSS and WEMTA partnered to present a program at the WEMTA conference in the Dells called Cool Tools to Work with the Public Library. Presenters Sonja Ackerman, from Franklin School District in Wausau, a WEMTA and YSS member teamed up with YSS member Marge Loch-Wouters from La Crosse Public Library to explore the many ways we can work together across school and public library lines.

Some of the ideas that can work for both public and school librarians:

• Anytime is the right time to start.
• Get out there and meet your counterpart in the schools or public library(remember, phone calls can be challenging for both since our busy times and quiet times are exactly the opposite; use email).
• If you are having a difficult time making the connection, get intro help from a board member or "connected" parent.
• Offer "teacher cards" without fines for classroom materials or consider checking out deposit collections to classrooms or asking the public library for these.
• Offer to drop into classrooms 2-3 times besides SLP visits to support literacy and reading (or invite the public librarian to do this).
• Do collaborative shared programs - "Kids Read One Book", share author/illustrator visits; winter reading programs.
• Send a quick email newsletter to teachers and visa versa. Sharing information makes a huge difference for both!
• Visit the public library at least once a year/invite classes to library from the school annually.
• Find out if the library is doing early literacy intiatives like 1000 Books Before K and support them by telling school families to get their preschoolers involved.
• Libraries are very involved with SLP - encourage students to get involved.
• Support library programs to students. Children have their school libraries for only 12 years. Their public library they can have for life. Your support of the public library and celebration of both school and public libraries strengthens you both.

If you are a WLA member, you can attend the WEMTA spring conference at WEMTA member registration costs. With a full schedule of exciting programs, it's a conference all youth librarians in public libraries should consider attending. Hope to see you next year!

WEMTA Conference - Make, Shake, and Move: March 22-24

The Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association Conference is taking place at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells from Sunday, March 22 through Tuesday, March 24. Join makers, movers and shakers from Wisconsin and beyond.

See the conference home page for schedule and more information on featured speakers. To share your story at the conference or to learn more about that, see the post on the WILibraries for Everyone blog.

Megan Schliesman Winner of 2014 Intellectual Freedom Award

Megan Schliesman - IF Award Winner 2014

Megan Schliesman, long-time librarian at the Cooperative Children’s Books Center (CCBC) and manager of its intellectual freedom services, is the winner of the 2014 Intellectual Freedom Award. The award is given jointly by the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) and the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA). She will be recognized during this year’s WLA conference at the Awards and Honors Reception on Thursday, November 6 which begins at 5:30pm. 

Besides managing the CCBC Intellectual Freedom Information Services, Schliesman also manages its online forum, “What IF . . . Questions and Answers on Intellectual Freedom.” She currently serves on the American Library Association/Association for Library Service to Children Board, and is past member of the ALA/ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee. She is past chair of the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association’s Intellectual Freedom Special Interest Group, and a past member of the Wisconsin Library Association Intellectual Freedom Round Table board. 

The authors of the nomination letter recommending Schliesman note “Megan exemplifies the spirit of intellectual freedom through her unflagging support for those defending against censorship and her outreach to inform others about intellectual freedom. Being a librarian at the CCBC is more than a job for Megan, it is a calling that she takes seriously. Wisconsin is fortunate to have Megan as an intellectual freedom advocate and defender of minors’ First Amendment right to read." 

Since 2010, WLA and WEMTA have collaborated to give the annual 

intellectual freedom award. This award recognizes the contribution of an individual 

or group who has actively promoted intellectual freedom in Wisconsin. The award is given based on the following criteria: 

• Role in actively promoting intellectual freedom in their sphere of influence and beyond; 
• Degree to which an individual or group exemplifies the spirit of intellectual freedom; and 
• Efforts to promote intellectual freedom and challenge censorship.

         Funding for the award is generously provided by TeachingBooks.net and the Center for Information Policy Research and the School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

           

Get Involved - Become a Director-at-Large

YSS is currently recruiting members to serve as Directors-at-Large on the YSS board. The main job of a Director-at-large is to serve as a conference planner. Each director is paired up with another director to plan either WAPL or WLA. We do need to find someone who has duel membership in YSS and WEMTA so we have a liaison between both units. The commitment includes going to the WAPL conference and the WLA conference and two additional meetings, usually in February and August. The February and August meetings are available as a phone conference so no travel is required for those meetings. Please contact Kelly Hughbanks, Past Chair of YSS, if you are interested in serving on the board in 2010 and 2011 by Friday, June 19, 2009.