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. 

Photo from dpi.wi.gov

This workshop is specifically structured to be most beneficial to public library staff newly (three years or less) serving youth in Wisconsin libraries and introduces essential skills, resources, and strategies for working in public libraries and collaborating with school libraries. Attendees will be joined by school library media specialists, with time set aside for each group to convene separately, focusing on their institutional role. The groups will also join together to begin networking and building relationships for future collaborations.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is hosting this workshop at Hotel Marshfield, in Marshfield, Wisconsin, from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, through 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2026. There is no registration cost, and most meals will be provided. Attendees, or their library, will be responsible for mileage, two nights lodging, and one evening meal. Participants who successfully complete the full workshop will receive a $100 stipend. 

Space is limited to 25 public library attendees.

Tentative Topic Sessions:

• Resources Spotlight (collection development)
• Programming 101
• Early Literacy, Brain Development, and Storytime 101
• Compassion Resilience
• Building Community Based Summers
• BadgerLink for Public Libraries
• Games and Play Learning

Registration will close on Monday, May 4, 2026. Participants will be notified of their attendance status by May 11, 2026, and they will need to confirm their attendance by May 20, 2026.