Puppetry in Programming Opportunities

In a recent ALSC blog post Jaime Eastman encouraged youth librarians to consider having a "host" (or co-host!) puppet at storytime. Jaime writes: "Do you ever use a host puppet in storytime? I added this practice to my repertoire when I joined my current library. Previously, storytimes were just me and the kids. Adding a host puppet felt uncomfortable and unnatural. Nearly ten years later, I can’t imagine storytimes without my trusty cat, Shadow. Still, host puppets intimidate many new storytime trainees. Here are some tips from my experience for adding one to your storytime."

To read her how-to post, please stop here. [Host Puppets: Bringing Storytime Magic to Life. Eastman, Jaime. ALSC blog. March 31, 2025]

And to learn even more about puppets in programs, join YSS and our special guest at the May 6 webinar:

Mark your calendars for our newest YSS webinar on the magic of puppetry in library programming.

Tuesday May 6    

3:00 -4:00pm. 

WLA members: free

Non-members: $25 (at the registration link, 

please use your email and set up a password to register) 

Please register here

ENGAGING, EDUCATING, AND ENTERTAINING

 WITH PUPPETS

Join two experienced librarians as they share the magic of puppetry in library programs! This dynamic presentation will explore how puppets can captivate young audiences, enhance early literacy skills, and bring stories to life in engaging and interactive ways. Learn practical tips for selecting and using puppets, incorporating them into programming, and boosting participation and excitement in your programs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or new to puppetry, you'll leave with fresh ideas to entertain and educate your young patrons!

PRESENTERS: 

Christine Culp

Christine has been a Youth Librarian for 18 years working most of them in the Manatee County, Florida Public Library System.  Her background is in Art and Design and she continues to freelance and share her love of art in library programming.  She started playing with puppets and staging puppet shows early in her career.  She also loved visiting Mister Rogers Neighborhood and was very inspired by his Land of Make Believe.  She wanted to create that magic for the kids I work with.

Mandy O'Brien

Mandy O’Brien has worked as a Youth Services Librarian at the Skokie Public Library since 1999 and was the recipient of the Illinois Library Association's 2022 Youth Services Achievement Award. Before working at SPL, Mandy worked as a magazine editor and still freelances for publishers and educational organizations. She enjoys infusing social-emotional learning and early literacy techniques into her library work and believes puppets are great partners in building relationships with kids (and their grownups)."

Dragon Tales

Image by Lorelei Cohen from Pixabay

I love putting together book bundles at my library and one of my favorites is the dragon-themed bundle.  It disappears from the shelf like magic. But anytime is a good time for dragon tales, including storytime!

Check out Storytime Solidarity's collection of dragon-themed books, songs, rhymes and felt boards compiled by Auntie Anne. Whether you are doing a dragon book bundle, display, or storytime this post has you covered.

Stop here for all your dragon resource needs. [Here be Dragons. Auntie Anne. Storytime Solidarity blog. April 23, 2025.]

Free Trees for Kids!

Free Trees for Kids! 

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Libraries celebrated Earth Day in a multitude of ways last week. One library, Bonham Public Library, in Bonham, Texas provided an extraordinary 483 children with free trees for Earth Day! Librarians from Bonham had hoped that 100 kids, and that number was blown out of the water. 

In an article from North Texas e-news, journalist Tricia Seamans writes: "In the true spirit of the library itself, the free trees will grow alongside the children who plant them. Serving as a symbolic reminder and a physical actualization of the enrichment the library serves to provide."

Read the full article to learn more. [Trees for tots at Bonham Public Library. Seamans, Tricia. North Texas e-News. ntxe-news.com]

Tips and Info from DPI's April 25 , 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is an email newsletter chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list! 

Here is the April 25, 2025 edition.  

View as a webpage  /  Share     Hello All,  Foundations of Wisconsin Librarianship Workshop Registration is now open for the Foundations of Wisconsin Librarianship: Essential Skills for Library Media Specialists and Public Library Staff Serving Youth workshop.  This workshop is specifically structured to be most beneficial to public library staff who are new (three years or less) to serving youth in Wisconsin libraries and will provide an introduction to essential skills, resources, and strategies for working in public libraries. The three-day in-person workshop will be held at Hotel Mead, in Wisconsin Rapids from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday July 29 through 2:00 p.m. on Thursday July 31, 2025. There is no cost to attend and most meals will be provided. Attendees, or their library, will be responsible for mileage, two nights lodging, and one evening meal. Registration closes Monday May 12, 2025. Wisconsin Science Festival Event Hosting Registration is now open for the 15th Annual Wisconsin Science Festival taking place October 16th-26th, 2025.  Join hundreds of organizers who hold events of every shape and size around Wisconsin to connect people of all ages with science, technology, engineering, art and math. In 2024, more than 46,000 people participated in events throughout 52 counties in Wisconsin. DPI at WAPL 2025 Conference Join the DPI Library Services Team April 30 - May 2, 2025 at the Wisconsin Library Association of Public Libraries Annual Conference.  Have a great weekend! Jeni Schomber Public Library Consultant Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

 

Cautionary Tale on Bluey Parties

A YSS blog reader reached out to the blog after reading yesterday's post and wanted to share their experience with trying to host a Bluey party. We think it's important for our readers to know as well.

I wanted to let readers know that my library tried to throw a Bluey Bash that was scheduled for May 10, 2025 and we had to cancel the event after we received a cease and desist from Ludo Studios/BBC Studios (the company who owns the intellectual property rights to Bluey). Another library in our library system also received a cease and desist from Ludo Studios/BBC Studios for their Bluey Bash that was scheduled for April 5th. 

 

Our event was called "Bluey Bash" and we used a description that was very similar to what other libraries have used for their "Bluey Bash" events. In our promotional materials, we intentionally did not use the font or the trademarked cartoon image of Bluey, and instead used a photo we took of the costume we purchased for the event. The other library in our system used the trademarked cartoon image of Bluey and the Bluey logo in their promotional materials for the event, but did not have a costume or intend to use a costume at their event. Both libraries received very similar cease and desist letters and both libraries are unable to use the name, image, likeness, or references to Bluey on our website or on our social media pages. 

As someone who loves Bluey and whose patrons love Bluey, it was incredibly hard to pivot from excitedly planning and promoting a Bluey Bash event to having to abruptly cancel the event without being able to say the name of the event in the post to cancel the event. 

It's important to be aware of this type of order from rights owners. Typically, this kind of thing happens with the showing of movies that ask the organization not to share the movie name or character likeness in print, website and social media advertising. As the librarian above did, I have seen libraries use alternate titles and carefully worded descriptions to accommodate the right's holders request. 

In these situations, it's always worthwhile to reach out to your community's legal counsel to see what is the best policy to make sure the library is doing what it needs to do. 

We appreciate the sharing of this information to help all of us navigate this kind of situation.

Bluey-Palooza

Haven't had a Bluey party yet? Well, I finally ran across this February ALSC blog post with some great ideas by Ann Baillie that can work at any library.

Ann writes: "Is Bluey one of the most popular characters at your library right now? She is at mine! We’re always trying to find new ways to feature Bluey in our department. We purchased extra Bluey games for our department. We added even more Bluey books. But I wasn’t surprised when patrons asked me if we could host a Bluey program. After all, there’s no such thing as too much Bluey."

To read the post, please stop here. [Bluey Bash! How You Can Run a Bluey Program. Baillie, Ann. ALSC blog. February 12, 2025]

Recipe for a Teen Program

The Teen Librarian Toolbox dishes up another teen program this time with a focus on recipes!  In the recent post, Karen Jensen pitches a recipe preserving program where tweens and teens can save family recipes through personalized recipe cards. She writes, "This isn’t the typical type of program I put together for tweens and teens, it has a lot of nostalgia built into it. But I have often found that our tweens and teens are yearning for connections and traditions in ways that we often overlook, and this is an unique way to meet that need."

She suggests different ways to present the program besides focusing on family (emphasizing nutritional literacy or rolling it into an Adulting 101 series) and provides Canva templates for the recipe cards.

If the teens at your library are anything like mine (and I know they are), they are all about food during programs.  I'd serve this program up with an easy recipe they can make during the event. Have access to a microwave?  Make mug cake! Got a griddle or waffle iron?  Great time to bring it out! Only have an electric kettle?  It makes pretty good ramen!

Let us know if you try out this program!

Stop here to read the full post [MakerSpace: Preserving Family Recipes in the Library, Karen Jensen. Teen Librarian Toolbox blog. April 21, 2025.]  

Tips and Info from DPI's April 17 , 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

 Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is now in a cool new format!

The email newsletter is chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list! 

Here is the April 17, 2025 edition.  

View as a webpage  /  Share

Hello All, Foundations of Wisconsin Librarianship Workshop Registration is now open for the Foundations of Wisconsin Librarianship: Essential Skills for Library Media Specialists and Public Library Staff Serving Youth workshop.  This workshop is specifically structured to be most beneficial to public library staff who are new (three years or less) to serving youth in Wisconsin libraries and will provide an introduction to essential skills, resources, and strategies for working in public libraries. The three-day in-person workshop will be held at Hotel Mead, in Wisconsin Rapids from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday July 29 through 2:00 p.m. on Thursday July 31, 2025. There is no cost to attend and most meals will be provided. Attendees, or their library, will be responsible for mileage, two nights lodging, and one evening meal. Registration closes Monday May 12, 2025. Wisconsin State Park Pass Program Check Out Wisconsin’s State Parks offers Wisconsin library card holders the chance to visit any Wisconsin State Park for free. Each vehicle pass is valid for one day of the patron’s choosing. New and updated resources, including guidelines for libraries, marketing materials, recreational resources, and youth resources, are now available.  2025 Wisconsin Science Festival Virtual Kickoff Party Ready to start making plans for the fall? Just want to learn more? Join Wisconsin Science Festival for networking and conversation on Thursday April 24 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. Hear about this year’s festival feature, learn how and when to submit your 2025 events, bring your questions and ideas, and maybe even win prizes! Registration is open now.  Have a great weekend! Jeni Schomber Public Library Consultant Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

Sustainability in Summer Library Programs

This week we are continuing our thinking on summer library programs. Recently, the IFLS Keeping Up with Kids blog shared a member librarians key takeaways from her attendance at the UW-Madison CE course on Sustainability in SLPs taught by Dawn Tevis.  

IFLS consultant Leah Langby wrote: "This blog post was written by Nicole Witt, Youth Services Coordinator at D.R. Moon Library-Stanley, based what she learned from the UW Madison iSchool’s Continuing Education course Sustainably Grow Your Summer Library Program. Nicole was able to attend this online course thanks to a scholarship from IFLS, made possible with a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and funded by a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Thanks for sharing Nicole!"

Please click here to read the post.[Key Take-Aways from Sustainably Grow Your Summer Library Program Course. Witt, Nicole. Keeping Up with Kids blog. April 1, 2025]

Throw-It Thursday: Oops...I Didn’t Really Want That

Image by GraphicMama-team
 from Pixabay

Ashley Borman, Technical Services Librarian at the Clintonville (WI) Public Library, is back with another weeding tips column. 

Do you have a place for patrons to put unwanted books after they have been pulled off the shelves? If the answer is no, do you ever think about what books patrons might be looking at but not checking out? 

Oopsy carts (or tables, or whatever space you can create) are beneficial in a few ways. One benefit of having “Oopsy carts” is being able to see what is patrons are using but not checking out. This can help determine how you might want to cultivate your collections-are the things they are looking at old and crusty? Do they need to be updated? Are they sensitive topics that you shouldkeep even though they may not be getting checked out? These are some good questions to ask yourself when you find books left on an oopsy cart or just lying around the library.

“Oopsy carts” also give patrons a place to put items they no longer want, rather than putting them back on the shelves (oftentimes in the wrong place). This can save staff the headache of trying to find something that was shoved back in the wrong spot – sometimes the waaay wrong spot. 

Don’t get me wrong, even with “Oopsy carts,” there are still times things get mis-shelved and end up somewhere we can’t find them right away, but these carts have helped reduce the number of items that get shoved into a random spot on a shelf and end up lost because they are nowhere near where they should be on a shelf. If you don’t already have a designated space for materials patrons no longer want, I recommend at least trying it out in your library.