Free Anti-Bullying Programming

If you're looking for anti-bullying programming you might be interested in this email from a young woman working on her Girl Scouts Gold Award.

Hello!

Photo by Road Ahead on Unsplash

My name is Caitilyn and I've recently graduated from Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. I'm a second year Ambassador Girl Scout (which is the final level of Girl Scouts) and I'm currently working on my Gold Award for Girl Scouts. 

Some background, the Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout in the United States can earn while still in Girl Scouts. She has to complete the Bronze and/or Silver Awards in order to even do their Gold Award and she has to do it during the last two years of high school when she's an Ambassador Girl Scout. Only about 5% of girls stay in Girl Scouts and of that 5% only 6% of those girls complete the Gold Award. 

My Gold Award is an anti-bullying program called Be a Buddy, Not a Bully. Its main goal is to reduce bullying through parent education and prevention/intervention to make a greater impact. It teaches how to tell if your child is being bullied or is a bully, how to talk to your child if they're being bullied or are being a bully and how to help your child if they're being bullied or being a bully along with 4 strategies of how to prevent your child from bullying others. 

In order for my Gold Award to work I need to make it so it can continue on without me being in charge. We're hoping that through sharing with other libraries that they'll connect to me and I can find someone in that area to take it to their library and teach it using the information I have but with their stories and experiences. If you're in the cities/area around Wisconsin Rapids I'm very willing to come by and do a couple programs throughout the day at your library as long as you promote for me so I can have some people come participate! If you don't think you'll get enough people to participate in the in-person program that's fine! I have a youtube channel called Be a Buddy, Not a Bully and it's completely set up with all the information that I teach right now!

If you'd like to reach out to find out more about the program you can reach me at official.beabuddy.notabully@gmail.com! Thank you for your time!

Kind regards,

Caitilyn S.  

Wonderland Tea Party!

On a no school day, families at Middleton Public Library were treated to a Wonderland Tea Party! Over 60 people attended two sessions held back to back. The tea party included drinks, snacks, crafts, music, a photo backdrop, and more! We borrowed vintage tablecloths, oversized chess pieces, and some of our serving trays from local community members. Kids and adults alike had a blast!

Photo from Middleton Public Library

The best part might be the feedback we got from patrons who participated in this event. One said, "The library's tea party gave us an affordable way to dine out without the stress of the cost and a place to practice using manners with the help of all the staff." 

The library truly is one of the last places where people can just be, where they are invited to spend time without spending money. This was an excellent reminder of how important it is that libraries continue to be that space for people. We offer the opportunities to experience something new for our communities, and sometimes it's nice to be reminded of how important what we do is, even when it seems simple. 

Performer Showcase

Photo by Conor Samuel on Unsplash

Planning for the next Virtual Performer's Showcase has begun! The Performers Showcase, presented by the Youth Services Section of the Wisconsin Library Association, connects performers with members of the Wisconsin library community through live virtual demonstrations. 

Our last showcase was held in 2024 and we are hoping to discover some new and engaging acts to feature this year! We are looking for performers interested in sharing quality programming for children, teens, and/or families at a reasonable cost for Wisconsin libraries.  

How you can help:

• Do you know of an amazing performer that you think more people should know about? 
• Fill out this Google Form to suggest them for the showcase!

• Are you yourself a performer looking to expand your presentation offerings?
• Send us an email at yss.wla@gmail.com with your name and contact information

• Do you have specific performer needs you're looking for?
• Email us at yss.wla@gmail.com

Kelly Starling Lyons is coming to Middleton Public Library!

Photo from Midlibrary.org

The Middleton Public Library is so excited to announce that award winning children's author Kelly Starling Lyons will be visiting the library on Thursday, March 5th at 6pm to share a program called Write the Story Only You can Tell. 

In each of us, there are stories waiting to be told. In this session, Kelly shares her journey to publication and how her life informs the stories she creates. The audience will receive tips on mining their lives for ideas, using their senses to fill stories with meaningful detail and showing instead of telling. Readings and a Q&A are part of this inspiring program.

Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, a teaching artist, and an award-winning author of more than 30 books for young readers. Among her acclaimed picture books are Caldecott Honor winner Going Down Home with Daddy, Christopher Award winner Tiara's Hat Parade, Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award winner, My Hands Tell a Story, and Bank Street Best Books selection, Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations. Kelly is also the author of three popular series for young people - chapter books starring her characters Jada Jones and Miles Lewis, and the Ty's Travels early readers which won a Geisel Honor for Zip Zoom. She regularly presents to schools, libraries, festivals, and conferences around the country. Learn more at www.kellystarlinglyons.com.

Please join us for this special event!

Register to attend this event here.

Get Messy: Indoor Snow Day!

The Middleton Public Library hosted an indoor snow day this past weekend, and what an amazing time we had! Library staff began collected shredded paper from the community in October, and had just enough to fill one of the small conference rooms at the library. Kids from 0-99 had an absolute blast building piles, having snow fights, and burying their librarians! 

One thing to prepare for...DUST! So much paper dust. We were unprepared for the amount of dust that covered every inch of the room, and us! Was it worth it to hear the squeals and giggles of the over 125 happy kids who attended. Yes! Would we do it again? Ask us in a couple years and we'll see. 

Photos from Middleton Public Library

'Tweens Try It!

Photo from Middleton Public Library

In 2024 I was lucky enough to be part of the PBS Kids Learning Cohort, which introduced me to the wealth of resources that PBS offers for free for teachers, librarians, and kids of all ages. As part of that group I was assigned the task of creating a program using PBS resources. I came across a video about eating bugs and I knew that I had found my program! 

But, I didn't want to just do one random program for 'tweens where they ate bugs. Instead, I used this idea to create a series of programs that I call 'Tweens Try It. We've done all kinds of fun things from sharpie painting, stop motion animation, messy art, baking, ice candles and so much more! This week we're trying sewing both on machines and hand sewing to create small stuffed animals. 

While the projects we've done have been fun, the best part of this series is the relationships of the kids. 'Tweens are in that, dare I say it, in between stage where they're still kids, but are also expected to be more responsible. These projects allow them to be creative, be silly, try something new in a safe environment, and so much more. I specifically plan these events to be more hands-on "try it" type things to encourage the kids to chat while they work. 

What are your favorite events to do with the 'tween crowd?

For a fun video of the kids eating bugs check out Middleton Public Library's Facebook Post.

Upcoming YSS Webinar on Puppetry

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)."

It's Almost Time - YSS Webinar- Libraries Without Limits

Be sure you get registered for this webinar (free to WLA members; $25 for non-members)

WLA's Youth Services Section (YSS) presents

Join us for the next installment of the YSS Presents webinar series! Jessica Oakland, physical therapist, and Hannah Delaney, speech-language pathologist, from Progressive Beginnings Rehab Agency, will discuss how to incorporate OT/PT/ST into libraries and library programs, and the fun and creative ways we can promote child development through activities, songs, and crafts.

REGISTER HERE.

Registration closes at noon on May 9 

Free for WLA Members/$25.00 for Nonmembers

Our speakers:
Hannah Delaney, MS, CCC-SLP
Hello, I'm Hannah! I graduated from Marquette University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. I continued my education at Marquette and graduated in 2021 with a masters in Speech-Language Pathology. From there I completed my Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) at a school district in Wisconsin evaluating and treating students from ages 2-18. I found a love in evaluating/treating pediatric clients with a variety of communication and feeding/swallowing needs. I have been a part of the Progressive Beginnings team for about two years now and have loved collaborating with OT, PT and families to help achieve our clients goals along with making a difference in their lives. I am currently working on getting my NLA (natural language acquisition) certification so that I can better support my neurodivergent pediatric patients. In my free time, I enjoy watching/playing sports, baking sweet treats, spending time outdoors and playing board games with family and friends.

Jessica Oakland, PT, DPT
Hi, I'm Jessica! I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology in 2010 and then my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May 2014 both from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. I started with Progressive Beginnings in June 2014 and then joined the family business as an Operational Partner in November 2014. I have a passion to work with pediatric patients and truly love being becoming part of each of their stories. I create our newsletters, social media posts, and community outreach as the Director of Marketing as well as oversee both Human Resources and Patient Services Division. My husband and I live in Manitowoc with our daughter, son, and dog. We love to travel, hike, camp, and spend time with our family and friends.

YSS Webinar: Libraries Without Limits

WLA's Youth Services Section (YSS) presents

Join us for the next installment of the YSS Presents webinar series! Jessica Oakland, physical therapist, and Hannah Delaney, speech-language pathologist, from Progressive Beginnings Rehab Agency, will discuss how to incorporate OT/PT/ST into libraries and library programs, and the fun and creative ways we can promote child development through activities, songs, and crafts.

REGISTER HERE.

Registration closes at noon on May 9 

Free for WLA Members/$25.00 for Nonmembers

Our speakers:
Hannah Delaney, MS, CCC-SLP
Hello, I'm Hannah! I graduated from Marquette University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. I continued my education at Marquette and graduated in 2021 with a masters in Speech-Language Pathology. From there I completed my Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) at a school district in Wisconsin evaluating and treating students from ages 2-18. I found a love in evaluating/treating pediatric clients with a variety of communication and feeding/swallowing needs. I have been a part of the Progressive Beginnings team for about two years now and have loved collaborating with OT, PT and families to help achieve our clients goals along with making a difference in their lives. I am currently working on getting my NLA (natural language acquisition) certification so that I can better support my neurodivergent pediatric patients. In my free time, I enjoy watching/playing sports, baking sweet treats, spending time outdoors and playing board games with family and friends.

Jessica Oakland, PT, DPT
Hi, I'm Jessica! I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology in 2010 and then my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May 2014 both from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. I started with Progressive Beginnings in June 2014 and then joined the family business as an Operational Partner in November 2014. I have a passion to work with pediatric patients and truly love being becoming part of each of their stories. I create our newsletters, social media posts, and community outreach as the Director of Marketing as well as oversee both Human Resources and Patient Services Division. My husband and I live in Manitowoc with our daughter, son, and dog. We love to travel, hike, camp, and spend time with our family and friends.

Connecting Kids and Books

Badgerlink Bulletin blog recently highlighted the very robust Book Connections, the public library interface from content provider TeachingBooks that focuses on enriching everyone's connection to children's and young adult books.

They write: "Engage and inspire readers with Book Connections resources that can be used both with patrons and behind the scenes. In a recent webinar, TeachingBooks Implementation & Training Specialist, Mary Ellen Graf highlighted ways to implement resources in youth services library programming as well as new tools to complement work on enhancing diversity in public library collections. Additional features of Book Connections were highlighted, including Collection Analysis and Diverse Books Toolkits, ready-to-use resources for your book clubs and story times, homework help features, and more."

To read the whole post with loads of link to content and webinars, click here.

Wisconsin Youth Services Program Palooza Webinar - Register Today!

Wisconsin Youth Services Program Palooza Webinar

Wednesday, June 3, 1-2 pm   

Register here. The webinar will be recorded; please register to get the link.

Spring 2020 has been a series of pivots and pauses for public library youth services...and perhaps uncovered a wealth of new and unexpected creative and problem-solving skills for you!  Join us and continue to plan confidently for Summer and Fall with an abundance of ideas, programs and attitudes in this free one hour webinar. System youth services consultants (Shawn Brommer, Angela Meyers & Marge Loch-Wouters) and DPI staff (Tessa Michaelson Schmidt) invite you to be part of this positive, simplified, and intentional approach to youth services for the coming months.  

Signing in Storytime: The Basics

Check out this amazing archived webinar from Montana State Library!

Join us for an interactive “annotated storytime” that teaches basic American Sign Language vocabulary for feelings and demonstrates how to use the signs in storytime activities. Children of participants are welcome to join for the first 40 minutes. The final 20 minutes will consist of lecture and Q&A. Presenter Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, as well as Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other resources books for librarians and educators.

https://vimeo.com/415984229

Powerpoint Link: drive.google.com/file/d/1q3s-JAmm2WMcg71mPGe5njxcElULLRth/view

Follow Up Materials (can use printables freely, but please leave website attrition): storiesbyhand.com/feelings/

To view this video with captions, see the YouTube version here: youtu.be/rOfKEUUzomI

Originally recorded: May 6th, 2020
CE category: library services to the public

Please note, this webinar will be available for 3 months after recorded date, until August 6th, 2020

Using Premiere for Virtual Programming on Facebook

Do you want the community feel of a live program, but the idea of going FB Live makes you want to curl into a corner and cry?

First things first: you 100% got this!

Secondly, why not try your hand at using the Premiere option on Facebook?

Premiere lets you to post pre-recorded material while still allowing your audience to interact with it as though it were being filmed live.  (Hearts, likes, and comments...oh my!)

Check out THIS ARTICLE for a detailed breakdown of Premiere, the features involved, and how to schedule a video post of your own.

Virtual & Offline Programming YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• Innovative Solutions for Connecting with Kids During COVID 10/25/21
• Virtual Teen Escape Room Book Club  10/22/21
• 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 (combines & updates 6 previous resource post)
• “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

Did you know...

that Netflix allows one-time educational screenings of some of their original documentaries?



It's true!

https://help.netflix.com/en/node/57695

As you might imagine, the list of available titles is daunting--and not limited to only materials with screening permissions--so thankfully Dana Zurek from Milwaukee Public Library shared her current (as of February 2019) list from the Programming Librarian Interest Group on Facebook!  Thanks Dana!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d7h18z8y66mcpf6/Netflix%20Educational%20Screening%20Docs.pdf?dl=0&fbclid=

Happy perusing and viewing!

Preschool Prom!

Ah, prom.  An evening of fancy outfits, dancing, and shenanigans.

But why should high schoolers get to have all the fun?

Recently, we held our first-ever Preschool Prom at the library.  Our littlest patrons and their grown-ups were encouraged to don their fanciest attire and shake, wiggle, and giggle--and enjoy snacks, of course.

The great thing about this program was, once in full swing, it basically ran itself.  Kids love to dance--either with each other or a grown up--so in terms of staff responsibility, the main concerns were crowd control and shaking your groove thing.

To create a prom-like atmosphere, a few select accessories and crafts were planned and/or assembled ahead of time.

• Wee corsages!  (Fake flowers + ribbon + hot glue = super cute fancy accessories for the entire crew!)
  
• "Fancy" beverages! (sparkly ribbons and double-sided tape make even the simplest water bottles look mighty fancy)
  
• DIY Crowns!  (Why choose one king and queen when EVERYONE can be royalty?!)
  
• Create Your Own Scepter Station! (Craft sticks, die-cut shapes, crayons, and washi tape--oh my!)
  
• Balloons!  Oh, the balloons!
• A super sweet, dance-tastic playlist!
• Photo ops!
  
• Snacks!  (We kept it simple and kid-friendly: string cheese, popcorn, cookies, and water.)

This program was fun, easy, and loved by attendees of all ages.  It'll definitely a recurring offering in the library's programming schedule.

                           

   

What Do Tweens Like

The ALSC blog recently had a great post about how to create programs that are relevant for tweens. I love the points it hits (among them: know your audience) and this handy guide that resulted from Pamela asking her tweens what THEY were interested in.  Read more about it here.

From ALSC blog, Pamela Groseclose. .January 14, 2018

Literary Holidays to Wrap Your Programs Around

The 5 Minute Librarian blog is one of my go-to places for ideas.

Recently, they gathered a list of literary "holidays" that happen throughout the year. It's a great way to pop programs, displays and initiatives in that support reading, literacy and your collections!

STEAM Programming on a Budget

Photo from Sowing Seeds Librarian blog

Emily Zorea, Brewer Public Library's Youth Librarian, stepped out and presented her first solo session during the recent WAPL conference. Richland Center is a city of approximately 5,000 people in a fairly rural area of southwest WI.  A warm, friendly and supportive speaker who speaks comfortably without notes, Emily not only shared her tips on creating reasonably priced STEM content but also how libraries in smaller communities can really engage kids with science and coding. She engaged the audience and solicited ideas from their experience as STEAM programmers as well.

Emily recently began blogging at Sowing Seeds Librarian where she uses her blog to detail programs she's done. The blog serves as an archive for her programs as well as a how-to for interested readers. She has also been involved in WI DPI's Coding Initiative classes and generously shares her notes to help all of us become more comfortable and knowledgeable about coding with our community kids.

Attendees left with a ton of doable ideas. Her presentation slides speak for themselves. You can access them here at her blog.

Both Emily Zorea and Emily Sanders (whose TAB programs were featured last week on the blog) are new youth library presenters at Wisconsin state conferences.  We hope their presentations inspire YOU to take the leap, put together a program or panel and share your journey at a conference. New voices and perspectives (irregardless of age) are always welcome!  The YSS board, who always puts together an incredible stack of conference programs, is waiting to hear from you.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• Teach and Be Taught: Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.

Pewaukee Public Library and the Wisconsin Science Festival

Article and photos submitted by Jenny Wegener, Head of Youth Services, Pewaukee Public Library

Have you ever thought…

“I wish I could reach a wider community.”
“I wish I could get some help promoting my programs.”
“I wish people would check out these great nonfiction titles.”
“I wish someone would give me a cool t-shirt.”

Stop wishing and do something about it! Participate in the Wisconsin Science Festival and reach a wider community, benefit from state-wide promotion, and increase interest in your 500’s! Oh, and yes, you can get a shirt, too!

The Wisconsin Science Festival took place again on October 20th to 23rd. This fabulously eclectic celebration of community and science is produced by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and Morgridge Institute for Research. 

Science Festival events take place all over the state, in 2015 there were 285 events spread over 89 locations and 36 communities. An amazing 37,000 people attended Wisconsin Science Festival events last year.

Libraries are a natural partner for the Science Festival because we are havens for learning and curiosity. Partnering with the Wisconsin Science Festival gives you access to free publicity – your event will be on their web page, included in the directory of events, and you will be able to order free promotional materials. Because of the state-wide promotion, you may find that your events are attended by community members who are not familiar with your library – this is your chance to impress them! Display all of your nicest science books and boost your circulation numbers!




Participation is easy: just do an event that fits your comfort level. A great way to start out is to offer a science program from a performer or local expert. In Pewaukee, we’ve grown our offerings to include “Hands-On” science in the morning, a special program in the afternoon, and, because we have an active astronomy club, a star-gazing event in the evening. Do what you can afford in staff time and programming money. You may even want to consider “killing off” your Halloween program and doing SCIENCE instead!