Friday, December 20, 2013

"Wild Wisconsin Features Youth Programs

The Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference, developed by NFLS and sponsored by 11 other library systems, will take place on January 15 and 16.

This year, the programs will be held over two days.  Two programs that might be of interest to youth librarians are as follows:


January 15, 10:30 - 11:30 am
   
 Unprogramming: Recipes for Successful Programming
With School-Age Children & Teens
 Amy Koester, Children’s Librarian, St. Charles City-County Library District (St. Charles, Missouri)
Marge Loch-Wouters, Coordinator of Youth Services, La Crosse Public Library
(La Crosse, Wisconsin)

Do you find yourself spending hours planning school-age programs that are over in the blink of an eye?

Does your spending for teen program supplies make you blush? Are you ready to challenge yourself to be more efficient with your time, your staff’s time, and your department’s resources?

Discover “unprogramming,” a concept that helps you streamline planning and preparation while offering worthwhile literacy-centered programs, where kids help shape the direction of the program! This webinar will help you cook up strategies for unprogramming at your library with both school-age children and teens, and ideas for helping staff adapt to this new style. Prepare to create your personal menu of unprograms with a myriad of program ideas and resources.



January 16, 10:30 - 11:30 am
Tech Services for Target Audiences
 Claire Moore, Head of Children's Services
Darien Library
Darien, Connecticut

How do libraries determine what part of their community to target for new services? And then how do you move them forward? Claire will highlight Darien’s technology series with programs for preschoolers, elementary-aged children, tweens, and even an 8-week online course modeled on Helen Blowers 23 Things (called 21 Things for 21st Century Parents.) She explains the goals, best practices, and how libraries can create their own family-centered tech programs.


 For a complete listing of all the programs and to register, visit the NFLS Facebook Page.  




PBS KIDS Writers Contest



The PBS KIDS Writers Contest is a national-local contest designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The contest encourages children in grades K-3 in communities across the country to celebrate the power of creating stories and illustrations by submitting their own original pieces. For nearly 20 years, Wisconsin kids have participated in PBS KIDS’ annual writing contest, building their creative voices, and developing critical reading and writing skills.

They are also planning a webinar for January 10th at 9 am for librarians to talk about the contest and how to do a “Writers & Illustrators Workshop” for children K – 3rd grade. More information to come. 

If your library is interested in participating, please contact Holli Kirchner, Early Learning Services Manager at WPT, a608-265-5035 or holli.kirchner@wpt.org



December Youth Showcase

Monster makeovers, pretend food playtime, and mad science are a few features in the December edition of the Wisconsin Youth Services Showcase.  Check it out!  

We are still looking for more teen ideas and creative programs and services.  What’s the best thing you did in 2013? Send in your jpeg/URL/PDF for a future edition of the showcase.

"Youth Services By the Numbers" Webinar Recording Available

Curious about what counts as a program or how to measure attendance on the annual report? 

Recently, Jamie McCanless, the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) Public Library Data and Finance Coordinator, and Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant at DPI, took a focused look at the annual report to examine how youth services is data generated and what it shows. 

Check out the 60-minute webinar archive available under “Professional Development."

Teen Video Challenge

This is the second year that Wisconsin will participate in the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Teen Video Challenge. Here is more information about the contest, including entry and release forms.

For the contest, teens should create a video promoting Summer Reading at the public library, including an interpretation of the 2014 CSLP teen slogan "Spark a Reaction," to win $275 and a $125 award for the library. Any teen, aged 13 -18, can enter the CSLP 2014 Teen Video Challenge in the state where they reside. Videos can be created individually or as a team. Each participating CSLP member state will select one winner. Additional information, including promotional resources and video creation resources, can be found at http://cslpreads.org/challenge-overview.html.

The deadline for entries is Friday, February 14, 2014. The state winner will be selected in March 2014 and national selections will be announced in April 2014.

Curious about what teens might make? Take a look at the 2013 winners for inspiration, including the winning submission from the L. E. Phillips Memorial Library in Eau Claire.

Contact Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, the Department of Public Instruction’s Youth and Special Services Consultant, with questions: tessa.schmidt@dpi.wi.gov

Read On Titles for December



Here are the Read On Wisconsin titles for December:

Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
Z is for Mooseby Kelly Bingham. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Greenwillow / HarperCollins, 2012
Animal 1 2 3by Britta Teckentrup. Handprint Books, 2012
Poem (from Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar. U.S. edition: Candlewick Press, 2007.) :
“The NO-NO Bird” by Andrew Fusek Peters, p. 28

Primary (Grades K-2)
Under the Snowby Melissa Stewart. Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum. Peachtree, 2009

Intermediate (Grades 3-5)
The One and Only Ivanby Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. Harper / HarperCollins, 2012

Middle School
After Eli by Rebecca Rupp .  Candlewick Press, 2012

High School
The Raven Boysby Maggie Stiefvater. Scholastic Press, 2012

You can see these books and the discussion questions at:

The complete list of 2013-2014 Read On Wisconsin titles, along with links to discussion questions and TeachingBooks.net resources, can be found at:



Emily Townsend, Librarian
Cooperative Children's Book Center
School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison