WLA Program Wrap - ABCs of Leadership & Family Engagement

We were so pleased to host Amy Koester, a very active youth services leader as one of our speakers at the WLA conference. Amy, who works in Illinois and blogs at the Show Me Librarian, presented two sessions. Here are her slide decks:

Family Matters: Supporting Families to Learn Connect and Grow
Families with children are in the library every day, taking advantage of our collections and programs aimed at youth. But how do we support families as a unit, as well as the caregivers who support them? This session will explore strategies for tapping local resources and harnessing staff expertise, allowing libraries to offer parent engagement opportunities that empower caregivers and family-focused programming that builds social connections and community

ABCs of Leading From Anywhere
You’ve probably heard the leadership mantra that you can “lead from anywhere”; but what does that really mean? What does “leading from anywhere” look like in a library setting, particularly in youth services? Session participants will learn strategies for serving as a leader from their current position in their organization. We’ll cover the basics, including unpacking the difference between leading and management, how to survive change, and leadership as a career trajectory.


For more slide decks of WLA youth programs, please click below:
WLA Program Wraps 2
WLA Program Wraps 3

Giant Harry Potter Maze

Not sure how I missed this back in September, but the Denver (Colo.) Public Library created a Giant Harry Potter Cardboard Maze.  Yes, GIANT.  With the film adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them coming our way in mid-November, this seems like the ideal time to plan something, well, giant.  Celebrating Harry Potter has been a library staple for what seems like forever, but finding a new twist can be challenging.  Luckily, the rockin' librarians in Denver have posted a great blueprint and guidelines for the creation of your own Giant Harry Potter Cardboard Maze.  Check it out HERE and get ready to geek out over the Wizarding World all over again!

Favorite Conference Idea: Magic Origami House

Choosing toppings at the ice cream shop with the origami house

WLA Conference 2016 is upon us.  When I attend a conference, I hope to learn one great, simple idea, be inspired about our profession, and see colleagues.

One of my favorite great, simple ideas is from a Storytime Swap session at a WAPL conference a few years ago.  Beth Hayes from Ruth Culver Community Library in Prairie du Sac brought a paper folding story called "I Wish Today Was My Birthday!" from Stories to Play With: Kids' Tales told with Puppets, Paper, Toys, and Imagination by Hiroko Fujita and Fran Stallings (August House 1999).  Going to the conference was worth it when I learned how to tell this story and make the paper prop"

The prop for the story is made from a large piece of paper and is folded to look like a house. I call it my magic origami house.  You glue pictures related to the story onto four sections of the "house".  As you tell the story, you move the pictures around by folding the house in a certain way.

Kids think you are doing magic because the pictures are moving but they do not know how you are doing it.  I feel really awesome when I do these stories. You can easily make up a story.  I tell a simple story of going to the ice cream shop and choosing your toppings. 

Idea Diving

Being of a curious, creative, and information-seeking bent, I naturally look for new ideas, projects, and inspiration in a variety of places. Here I have gathered links to a few of the places I've been idea diving lately. What is idea diving you may say? It's a term I just coined for the process of diving into ideas and exploring them - just like scuba diving there are recreational dives and professional dives. The depth and range of a dive will vary based on the interests and purpose of the diver or mission. So join me in idea-diving and please share some of your favorite diving locations in the comments.

Pop Goes the Page blog and Pinterest page by "Dana Sheridan (a.k.a. Dr. Dana), creator of Pop Goes the Page. I’m also the Education & Outreach Coordinator of the Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University. My library offers a number of story times, programs, and workshops, many of which you will find described on this blog. They’ve all been “field tested,” so feel free to replicate them in your own library, classroom, or home!" (About page)

Flannel Friday blog and Pinterest page which "celebrates and supports the art and skill of storytime by: sharing ideas; fostering community; and supporting professional development." (Mission page)

Laughing Kids Learn blog and Pinterest page where it's all about "sharing activities and ideas that make learning fun for kids!" (Pinterest tagline)

As I See It blog where Vivian the Librarian blogs about "observations on library services to children and young adults from experiences in smaller and larger public libraries in Idaho," including storytime and baby storytime plans. (Blog tagline)

Stepping Up to the Plate - in Less Than Three Minutes!

Everyday Advocacy is something all youth librarians should be doing everyday in our community.

But we also can step up to the plate and let our voices be heard on the national level in support of libraries. Senate bill S.3391 would reauthorize the Museum and Library Services Act which supports the Institute of Museum and Library Services and millions of dollars of federal funding that libraries and museums receive. These grants, administered by DPI in WI, fund library projects big and small around the country

Stop here for easy steps in how you can contact your senator now and support this vital bill!

Media and Young Minds Policy Statement Released

Emphasizing the importance of parental modulation of media use for young children and promoting the importance of unstructured, creative, and social play, the newest policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics addresses screen time and the young child. The statement provides recommendations for pediatricians and parents, both of which are of importance to youth services librarians in our dual roles as early literacy experts and media mentors. Read the policy statement HERE.

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Evaluating Your Collection for Diverse Books

#WeNeedDiverseBooks
If you haven't explored this hashtag or this movement, now is the time!  Diversity in children's literature is a hot button topic right now, but most of us need a little help getting started on evaluating our collection for diverse books.  Luckily, Judith Snyder, over at the Ideas+Inspiration DEMCO blog, has some great starter tips!

Already know that your collection needs an infusion of diversity?  Snyder also offers book title suggestions in her post!  Check out the whole post HERE.

Who still reads magazines?!

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With digital and online formats and circulation not being the best, why do libraries still have magazines? School Library Journal answers that question and offers up a list of the best children and teen magazines. (Of course, I already set-up my magazines subscriptions for next year!)

Magazines in the children and teen areas of my library are still popular. Even if they are not checked-out, many are read in the library.  You can tell because there is only one circ but the magazine looks like it has been shelved in a wind tunnel. 

As the articles importantly states, "studies and anecdotes show that magazines are an ideal choice for atypical, struggling, and reluctant readers".  Librarians sometimes have to advocate for choices that are not the best for circulation but fill the library's goal of developing and supporting a literate community.

Opening and Closing Songs for Storytime

Do you have a favorite opening song for Storytime? Do you use a closing song? Do you change it for different sessions? If you are looking for some new ideas, Storytime Katie has collected a few for you on her blog. See them HERE.

My favorite opener is called Hands Go Up and this is how it goes:

Hands go up,
Hands go down.
I can turn
around and round.
I can jump
upon two shoes.
I can listen,
so can you.
I can sit,
I'll show you how.
Storytime is starting now!

And then I clap and make any announcements or give orientation information to newcomers.

I don't usually use a closing song for family or all ages storytime because our craft and social time indicates the end of the formal storytime. With babies and toddlers, I do use an opening and closing song. I use Tickle the Clouds to close which is one of those listed on Storytime Katie's blog.

Let's Get Social at WLA!

One of the really great parts of WLA is getting together with library peers - not just youth folks but everyone from all types of libraries.

Here are some great dates to put on your calendar! Need details? Stop here!

Tuesday Oct 25  
Sparks and Recreation
WILS/WLA Annual Fall Classic
7-9:00 pm - Harmony Room
Relax with colleagues and vendors during a super chill night of board games, coloring and cameraderie. Snacks too!

Wednesday Oct 26
Bill Konigsburg YSS Luncheon
Noon-1:30 pm   Serenity

WLA 125th Celebration & Membership Meeting
5:15-6:30 pm - Event Center Foyer
Join colleagues for a reception celebrating our 125th and an update on what's happening with YOUR association!

UW-Madison SLIS Reunion
6:30-7:30 pm  - Clarity Room

UW-Milwaukee SOIS 50th Anniversary Celebration
6:30-9:30 pm - Harmony Room

Get Lucky Team Trivia - WLA Foundation Fundraiser
8:00-11:00 pm - Serenity Room

Thursday Oct 27
YSS Business Meeting - Join us and share your thoughts!
7:30- 8:30 am -  Prosperity Room

Awards and Honors Reception
5:30-7:00 pm - Serenity

Talk About It! YSS book discussion
7:30-8:15 pm - Canal St Cafe, 1611 W. Canal St (around the corner from conference center)

WLA Conference Reception 
7:30-9:00 pm - Milwaukee Public Library

YSS Social
8:30-10pm - Canal St Cafe, 1611 W. Canal St (around the corner from conference center)

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Burr Worzalla Award Winner
Bill Konigsburg Interview
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Thursday Youth Events
Konigsburg Book Discussion
Friday Youth Conference Programs

Learn More about 2016 Burr Worzalla Award Winner!

Karli Pederson, chair of this year's WLA Burr Worzalla Award committee for distinguished achievement in children's literature by a WI book creator  will be speaking at a webinar sponsored by SCLS on Thursday Oct 20 at 1 pm. Karli will be joined by Kate Hull who will discuss the WLA Literary Awrd for a fast-paced hour of info on our own "Oscars" of WI literature!

Register here for this free webinar.

Can't make the webinar but want to know about Wisconsin's own youth literature arard - the Burr Worzalla, books that have been recognized as outstanding this year for youth and our notable author/illustrator of the year?  Check out these links on the WLA YSS pages:

Elizabeth Burr / Worzalla Award

About Elizabeth Burr

Outstanding Book Awards

Notable Wisconsin Children's Authors / Illustrators

And if you are at WLA, please come to hear and meet award winning author John Coy on Wednesday from 1:45-2:30 pm!

John Coy will present his award winning title, Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game, a moving portrayal of the secret match-up between two basketball teams during a time of deep inequality and racial segregation. The Children’s Book Award Committee of the WLA Youth Services Section (YSS) selected the winner after the examination and evaluation of titles from 2015 by authors and illustrators with a Wisconsin connection.

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Bill Konigsburg Interview
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Konigsburg Book Discussion
Thursday Youth Events
Friday Youth Conference Programs
Social Events at WLA

Speaking of those toys...

This came through my feed in a rather timely way.  Our library patrons have been talking a lot about the rampant Hand Foot Mouth disease running through our town.

We like to reassure them that we clean those toys each week, but are we doing enough?  This handy post will help us determine that!
Read all about it at the pre-K and K sharing blog.

Interview with Bill Konigsberg, YSS Luncheon Speaker at WLA 2016

Submitted by Ashley Bieber, Teen Services Coordinator
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Eau Claire, WI

YSS Past-Chair, Ashley Bieber, interviewed author Bill Konigsberg, in advance of his appearance as YSS luncheon speaker at this year's WLA conference. She also shared this link of his Banned Books Week 2016 Virtual Read Out! video on YouTube.

https://billkonigsberg.com/

So, Bill, you're coming to Wisconsin in a couple of weeks - have you ever been to Milwaukee?  

What do you expect to find?  And what are your feelings about cheese curds?

I have been to Milwaukee, yes. I used to travel as part of a softball team, and we went to several tournaments in Milwaukee in the 90s. I think of Milwaukee as a Pittsburgh kind of town--nice mix of blue and white collar people, diverse in lots of ways. I admit I have a weakness for midwesterners, so that helps, too... I married a South Dakotan. I think it's that repressed thing that some midwesterners have that I am attracted to. It's yin and yang, you know? I'm the kind of person who has never had a thought I didn't think I ought to express, so I guess midwesterners find me kind of ... amusing? I don't know. I love all things cheese, but I can't say that cheese curds are at the top of my list. I'll eat them, but they aren't my fave. But you melt pretty much any kind of cheese in a nice bowl of chili and I'm a very happy guy.

You must meet a lot of librarians across the country - do you have any impressions of us as a group?  (careful with this one, haha!)

Well that one is easy... I adore librarians. How can you not adore a group of people who are so devoted to books, who are so well read? It's hard not to find something to talk to with any librarian, because, unlike the general public, you can always fall back on, "So, read any good books lately?" They will most certainly have an answer! Joking aside, librarians are my heroes because I believe that young people who read are the solution, and librarians foster that love of reading.

Any tidbits about your books you'd like to share or why librarians should read and share them?

It's always a little awkward for me, that self-promotion thing, but hey, since you asked... For one, they're funny. None of them are "comic novels," but each of them seem to make people laugh a lot. I love laughter through tears, and there are lots of moments like that in my books. I think another thing about my books is that they are a unique combination of accessible and complex, fun and literary. Many readers write me to say that one of my books is their new favorite, and I think a lot of those notes come from kids who wandered onto my book and found it a surprisingly affecting experience that they didn't expect. It's like with Openly Straight and The Porcupine of Truth: you're going along with a fun read and you don't even notice that they've seeped their way into your heart and mind... That's the kind of book I like to read--something that seems like a fun read that winds up opening my heart to a new feeling or my mind to a new idea.

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Burr Worzalla Award Winner
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Thursday Youth Events
Konigsburg Book Discussion
Friday Youth Conference Programs
Social Events at WLA

Toys in the Children's Department!

SLJ - First Steps: Play

Hopefully we all know that play is one of the "Big Five" components of the Every Child Ready To Read initiative.  But how do we make play happen at the library?  It probably, *gasp* involves toys in the Children's area.  For those of us with limited space, or perhaps resistant administrators, placing toys in the library can be a challenge.  Not to worry!  Check out THIS article by Lisa G. Kropp from the School Library Journal.  Kropp presents great ideas for convincing arguments, limited space, and even what toys to start with.  It is definitely time to play!

I can't get this song out of my head!

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There are those songs that stay in your head all day when you hear even a little snippet. Hopefully, the song is one you like.

Last week in storytime, I played a new song to me, Laura Doherty's "Kitty Cat". I learned about it on Storytime Katie who does the song with puppets. The storytime kids and I just danced around with shakers as part of our musical break.

For the rest of the day and week that song played in my head. Kitty cat, kitty cat, oh kitty cat. I was reminded of another storytime song that has the same effect- "I Know a Chicken" by Laurie Berkner. I know a chicken and she laid an egg... a shaky egg!

Which songs stay in your head long after storytime?

Jaqueline Woodson in Madison October 20

A free public lecture by Jacqueline Woodson

Thursday, October 20, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

UW- Madison, Varsity Hall, Union South

Jacqueline Woodson won the 2014 National Book Award for her New York Times bestselling memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, for which she also received the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor Award, the NAACP Image Award, and the Sibert Honor Award for outstanding children’s nonfiction. Woodson was recently named the Young People’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation.  She is the author of more than two dozen award-winning books for young adults, middle graders and children. Among her many accolades, she is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a three-time National Book Award finalist, and a two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner. Her first book for adults, Another Brooklyn, was published this year, and has just been shortlisted for the National Book Award.

Books will be available for sale from A Room of One’s Own and a signing will follow the lecture.

The annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture is sponsored by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with support from the Friends of the CCBC. This event is part of the 2016 Wisconsin Book Festival.    

                                                                                                                                                                                      

For more info: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/czfaq.asp

KT Horning 263-3721

Wisconsin Water Library!

The Water Library has a modern new website with a wealth of new content for librarians, parents and teachers. 

Among the additions are lesson plans for teaching water and Great Lakes science to kids from ages three to nine, full descriptions of new STEM kits and how to borrow them, and a map of where the librarians have given programs.

The old favorites are here too—reading lists by topic, upcoming library events, book request forms and the “ask water” feature. The site is also an easy way to connect to popular social media resources—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the Aqualog blog. 

Anyone who is Wisconsin resident is likely to enjoy the site, however, and its wealth of water facts and "did you know" information.

Join the YSS "Talk About It!" Book Discussion at WLA

  

Have you ever wanted to talk more about the YSS luncheon speakers presentation or delve a bit more into her or his books?

Well, this year we have a great opportunity open to you. Plans are for Megan Schliesmann and Merri Lindgren to facilitate a discussion of two of YSS luncheon speaker Bill Konigsburg's books, Openly Straight and Porcupine of Truth. We also invite participants to share thoughts about Bill's speech from Wednesday noon. Feel free to join us whether you've read one or both books or heard Bill's talk and want to talk about it.

All this will happen on Thursday Oct 27 in the ambiance of the Canal Street Cafe (1611 W. Canal St, a short 4 minute jaunt around the corner from the Conference Center) from 7:30-8:15 pm. Food and drink are available for purchase. The discussion will segue into the annual YSS Social, a laid back opportunity to get to know and chat with lots of other youth librarians from around the state.

We hope to see you there!

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Burr Worzalla Award Winner
Bill Konigsburg Interview
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Thursday Youth Events
Friday Youth Conference Programs
Social Events at WLA

9 Bookish Phone Games

I know that regardless of my best intentions, if I am stuck in a waiting room, or on a short car ride, or really anywhere with a 10-20 minute wait, I am most likely on my phone.  So, why not get a little bookish with phone games!  Jessica Yang over at BookRiot has graced us with an article outlining 9 bookish games to play on your phone.  From pop-culture favorite Episode to text-based Lifeline to multiple-ending Choices, there is a story-based game out there for everyone.  Check out Yang's full story HERE.

Little Hands Need to Grip

Wonder Lab: Leaves

Recently, a member on the Storytime Underground Facebook group posted the article "Losing our grip: More students entering school without fine motor skills".  Like other commenters on the post, my first thought was "This is why we do crafts in storytime". 

The crafts we do are very simple.  The main focus is the child handling the crayons, glue sticks, and such, not creating a memento.  Many times toddlers love to rip up the craft after it's done.  Part of their process and we must respect!

If storytime is not an ideal time for crafts at your library, Host separate programs that involve hands-on activities, like toddler art times and STEM for preschoolers.  At my library, we find ideas on the blogs Show Me Librarian and Library Makers. 

If possible, have crafts and toys in the library.  We put leftover crafts in the children's area. Be careful about scissors, though, in the library.  One unsupervised preschooler cut up a library book.  You can find ideas for toys in a recent article in School Library Journal "Why toys should be in every children’s department—and how to make it happen".

Fall and New Beginnings

Fall is a contemplative time of year. It's a time of harvests, endings and new beginnings. Autumn calls for an open mind as we evaluate the year past and look ahead to the year to come. Any time of year is perfect for reflection but some seasons have us so busy doing that time for being, dreaming, and envisioning is in short supply. Fall is a seasonal remedy inviting us to savor the moment and anticipate the future. It is time to consider what worked, what didn't work, what we'd like to let go of, and what we'd like to try.

"You do not write your life with words, the monster said. You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do." ~A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

"Everything that is or was began with a dream." ~Lavagirl

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Sneak Peek at Friday Youth-Centric Programs at WLA

YSS is sponsoring a number of great sessions at WLA this fall and we want to pump you up! We will be sharing tidbits between now and Oct 26 when the conference starts at the Potowatomi Hotel and Conference Center. Registration is now open! Early bird registration runs through Oct. 7.

Friday is another must-be-there day for youth folks. So many sessions in this half-day-last-day morning that will wow you.

Duking it Out: Summer Learning vs. Summer Reading Program   8:30-9:15
Discover how to create even more effective engagement with kids and families through transforming your approach to a traditional library staple: SRPs. Sonja Ackerman -school media specialist, Leah Langby -system youth consultant and Sue Abrahamson -front-line librarian will explore how to go beyond counting reading to engage your community in activities that create a literacy rich exploration experience. This session is perfect for directors and staff considering the possibility of enriching and enhancing kids summer experience with the library.

Water Science is Child’s Play    8:30-9:15
In his books “Last Child in the Woods” and “The Nature Principle,” journalist Richard Louv has written extensively about how young children develop either an affection for, or suffer from phobias of, the natural world. He posits that the preschool and early elementary years offer a critical window to reach children with age-appropriate messages about ecosystems. Public libraries and programs like Head Start and early learning programs in 4K are natural places where these messages can be shared. Libraries especially have a unique role in engaging in and offering informal education on many topics, including many in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) related areas. Wisconsin Water Library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has some new tools to help. After several years offering water-themed story times to interested librarians and preschool teachers, the library has developed STEM Kits on a variety of water science theme that can be checked out and delivered using the Library Delivery Network. During the session, you will learn how to Jump like a Frog!, test for buoyancy, wear a blubber glove and learn to think like a scientist.

Power of the Teen Voice    9:30-10:15
Wisconsin authors Melissa Gorzelanczyk (ARROWS) and Liza Wiemer (HELLO?) will share how YA novels provide an outlet to explore topics such as diversity, family dynamics, relationships, sexuality, coping with loss, and grief, both through fantasy and contemporary fiction. The authors will give librarians specific tools to help readers discover new books based on key words and interests.

Library as Youth Art Gallery    10:45-11:30
Celebrating libraries as a place to make and be inspired, librarians around WI are providing space for youth art exhibits year round, as well as in March during Youth Art Month. Join panelists Sarah Cournoyer, Kerry Pinkner and Nicole Ozanich  who currently host these galleries to find out what a gallery or exhibit entails - from making connections with art teachers, to coordinating space and publicity, tapping into local talent, bringing in homeschoolers, and coordinating programming to complement these galleries.

Workshop to Writers: How to grow a teen/tween writing group     10:45-11:30
Learn how to encourage the next generation of great writers in your own community. Through an initial Teen/Tween Writing Workshop led by a local author, The Columbus Public Library has created an active monthly writing group where teens and tweens share their stories and encouragement while improving their creative writing skills. Jenni Frencham and Valerie Biel

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Burr Worzalla Award Winner
Bill Konigsburg Interview
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Thursday Youth Events
Konigsburg Book Discussion
Social Events at WLA

Vote Please!

We are super excited about our candidates for YSS board. When you receive your ballot please don't wait to cast your vote for the leaders of YSS for the next year (voting closes Oct 10).

A huge thanks to everyone who stepped forward to represent youth librarians in WI:

Chair-Elect (vote for 1)

Sarah Cournoyer, Youth Services Librarian Beaver Dam Community Library

Dawn Wacek, Youth Services Manager La Crosse Public Library

Director-at-Large (vote for 2)

Cailtin Schaffer, Youth Services Librarian Oconomowoc Public Library

Emily Sanders, Teen Services Supervisor Barrett Memorial Library

Elizabeth Timmins, Director Muehl Public Library

Alicia Woodland, Young Adult Librarian Appleton Public Library

Sneak Peek at WLA Thursday Youth Programs

YSS is sponsoring a number of great sessions at WLA this fall and we want to pump you up! We will be sharing tidbits between now and Oct 26 when the conference starts at the Potowatomi Hotel and Conference Center. Registration is now open! Early bird registration runs through Oct. 7.

What's happening on Thursday at WLA. Holy Moly! Lots! Be sure to register and enjoy the mightiness that is October 27! Stop here for full details.

Don't Go It Alone: How two libraries created a joint Teen Advisory Board  11-11:45
Have you ever thought of starting a Teen Advisory Board but were unsure of where to begin, or were afraid of the added workload or a lack of teen involvement? Our panelists will discuss how they developed a unique partnership that led to the creation of a joint Teen Advisory Board. They will discuss their application process, marketing, monthly meetings as well as what their group has accomplished so far.

Librarian Dreaming: Serving on a Book Award Committee  1:45-2:30
Ever wonder what it's like to serve on a youth book award committee? This panel will feature Wisconsin librarians currently serving on state and national youth book award committees who will share their experiences and offer information on how to be selected for an award committee, how to prepare for serving, and what the process is like. Q and A to follow.

College and Career Planning at the Library  1:45-2:30
Beginning in 2017-18, Wis. Stat. 115.28(59)(b) will require that school boards provide academic and career planning (ACP) services to all pupils in grades 6 to 12. Libraries are uniquely positioned to support ACP efforts. Join representatives from the Milwaukee Public Library and partner institutions to learn more about this legislation and discuss resources for infusing college and career planning into teen services at your library. Pilot programs featured will include career exploration workshops, teen internships, and job fairs.

Meeting the Challenge: Collection Development of Youth Materials    2:45-3:30
Should you buy a buzzed-about book if reviews point out serious shortcomings? How do you handle an award-winner that rubs you the wrong way? Are you uncertain after reading blog posts calling out books for racial insensitivity? Do worries about challenges make you hesitate with some titles or topics? This safe and instructive conversation will also explore the essential role intellectual freedom plays in the work you do every day. Library newbies and veterans welcome.

Books and Babies and Teens, Oh My! How Your Public Library Can Serve Teen Moms    4:30-5:15
Are you looking to expand your outreach to a new population? Do you want to make a difference in young women’s lives and support them in creating literacy-rich home environments for their children? Programming for teen mothers may be for you! Hear about working with teen moms, see examples of program successes and failures, and learn why it’s important to reach out to this specific population

Awards and Honors Reception        5:30-7:00
You know you want to offer our WI champions congratulations and huzzahs! Come on down!

Talk About It        7:30-8:15
Join us for a discussion of two books, The Porcupine of Truth and Openly Straight by our YSS Wed luncheon speaker Bill Konigsburg at the Canal Street Cafe (1611 W. Canal St). Feel free to join us having read one or both books, or if you heard Bill's talk and want to discuss what he had to say. Sponsored by YSS and the CCBC.

Youth Services Social         8:30-10pm
Join youth services librarians for a fun, relaxed time together at the Canal St Cafe (1611 W. Canal St). Buy a drink or some food, share laughter and great stories, meet new friends and enjoy old ones. All youth services librarians are invited to attend this event, sponsored by the YSS board.

To see all the WLA conference posts:
Stellar School Age Services Preconference
Wednesday Conference Programs
Burr Worzalla Award Winner
Bill Konigsburg Interview
Luncheon Speaker Bill Konigsburg
Konigsburg Book Discussion
Friday Youth Conference Programs
Social Events at WLA