We've Moved!

We've enjoyed using blogger as our blog platform for "Little Nic Bits" the past few years.

But, with our new website going live in August 2015, we have moved the blog!

Thanks for following us!

Illinois Professional Development for Serving People with Disabilities

In recognition of the anniversary of ADA25, the RAILS (Illinois) library system has partnered with ADA25Chicago to offer professional development and learning opportunities to librarians and library staff about serving people with disabilities. 

Click here for the post on the SNAILS blog. 

Children's Performer Directory to End

Announced in 2014, the Wisconsin Children's Performer Directory is closed. The DPI Public Library Development team no longer has budget or staff resources to support the Directory, which has also come to pose some liability issues for the agency.

The last day to access the Directory will be Monday, August 31, 2015. To capture a personal copy of the Directory before it is deleted, users might consider printing some or all of the webpages, or copying and pasting the webpage content into a document.

To see how to save or capture the pages, see the blog post on WI Libraries for Everyone. 

In the future, NFLS will be maintaining a regional listing of performers only. 

Supercharged Storytimes

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Division for Libraries and Technology is one of five state library agencies recently selected by OCLC to participate in a second pilot program called Supercharged Storytimes in the fall of 2015. 

Check out the blog post on WI Libraries for Everyone to learn more. 

Grassroots Meeting Set for September 17

Grassroots Meeting
Thursday, September 17; 12 pm-4 pm
Kress Family Branch Library
3.5 CE Credits
Our annual meeting will feature Marge Loch-Wouters, children's librarian extraordinaire (now retired!), who will share ideas and resources from her six years of creating fun, simple, developmentally-appropriate storytimes. 

 Come prepared to learn, share and participate in an interactive presentation.

Pizza and soda for lunch will be included. 

Register today! 

July Youth Services Showcase

Note: Marinette County's Lara Lakari submitted the 3 Little Pigs idea.  

Check out this month's edition of the Showcase to find examples of:

·         A "1000 Books" anniversary celebration

·         A visit from the chamber orchestra

·         Summer library program YouTube videos, and

·         Engineering with the 3 Little Pigs (+1).

View this month's Showcase here: http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_showcase.

Anyone is welcome to submit content and ideas for the Showcase; e.g., librarians, library directors, proud parents, supportive colleagues, etc. Only contributions featuring Wisconsin youth services and Wisconsin public libraries will be featured on the Showcase. Collaborative projects can be submitted; however, the Showcase will focus on the public library connection; e.g., a photo of a library book talk at a 4-H meeting will emphasize public library outreach.

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

LSTA Guidelines for 2016

The 2016 LSTA Information and Guidelines document is now available online.  What might this mean for you?

LSTA grants are available to Wisconsin public libraries and systems for one-year projects in specific categories.  Your library system might apply for a grant on behalf of multiple libraries in your system, two or more libraries might apply for a grant that benefits both libraries, or a multiple systems might apply for a joint project.  Libraries and/or systems can apply to do projects independently or collaboratively, although one institution must serve as the grant administrator/fiscal agent.

Grant categories that might especially interest youth services staff include Digital Creations, Literacy, and Accessibility.  The Digital Creations category encourages creative projects related to the maker movement.  Literacy projects are designed to expand literacy opportunities for a specific population, such as adolescent literacy for at-risk teens or financial literacy for all ages. The accessibility category is intended to help libraries and communities look at who might have difficult, limited, or minimized use of the library, such as families with limited transportation options  or English Language Learners.

Lastly, the LSTA calendar has been amended from previous years.  Projects will be scheduled to run from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.  The online application will open later this month.  See below for more details, including an upcoming informational webinar.

Please be in touch if I can offer any assistance.

Thank you for your consideration,

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Ideas Needed for 2017 Manual

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) has put out a call for ideas for the 2017 Children’s Manual and Early Literacy Manual.

Specifically, they are looking for ideas along the lines of:

·         Programs and activities; STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) topics, hands-on activities, and programming for a wide range of interests, budgets, and age groups (including intergenerational)

·         Books

·         Displays and Decorations

·         Storytimes

·         Incentives

·         Outreach to children and families outside the library

·         Early literacy tips

·         App recommendations

·         Encouraging parent/caregiver engagement

Whether you’ve got one book recommendation or an entire program outline, CSLP would love to hear from you. 

Our 2017 theme is “Build a Better World.”  Below, you’ll find subthemes for each manual, to help give you an idea of what we’ll be covering in each one.  Please submit your ideas to Amanda Struckmeyer at amandacmoss@gmail.com by August 14, 2015; be sure to include your name, institution, city, and state, so that we can acknowledge you in the manual.  Please note whether any finger plays, rhymes, or songs are original works.  Any format is welcome (book lists, bulleted lists, brief notes, or full paragraphs, for example).  If you prefer, a CSLP Program Submission Form can be found at http://www.cslpreads.org.

Thank you for helping us build a better manual as we prepare to celebrate building a better world in 2017!

Early Literacy Manual (birth-age 5) Working Subthemes:

·         Home, Sweet Home (human and animal homes)

·         Building Blocks of Our Community (community institutions)

·         Construction, Tools, and Building Materials

·         Building a Better You (healthy habits, fine and gross motor control and strength, strong family relationships)

·         Kids Build a Better World (recycling, conserving water)

Children’s Manual (ages 5-12) Working Subthemes:

·         Transform (volunteerism, giving, sharing, conservation, recycling, upcycling)

·         Senses (See: famous art and museums; Hear: sound effects, music; Touch: textures, temperatures; Taste: food around the world, restaurants, cooking; Smell: distinct aromas)

·         Build (architecture, engineering, innovations, inventions, marble runs, roller coasters, city and country, bridges, maps)

·         Discover:  (the natural world, including animals, plants, water, insects, and nature in general)

·         Live (storytelling, culture, customs, traditions, clothing, celebrations, transportation)

Thanks in advance for your input!

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

"Remind" App Being Used in Marinette

Looking for a way to remind patrons, especially teens about programs?  The free app “Remind” formerly “Remind 101” is available through iTunes could be the answer you are looking for.  A local teacher and I were discussing how busy teens are and how hard it can be to reach them.  She mentioned this app.  It was designed for teachers, but I am trying it out now with patrons.  Specifically, I am going to set up “class lists” for different types of programs: Summer Reading Club, Infant and Toddlers programs, Paws & Tales, and Teens.  Each account can have up to ten classes. 

The texts they receive are “blind” so no phone numbers are divulged, and they cannot text back to the number unless you opt to start a “chat”.  You can text from a computer or iPad rather than your phone so that communications are not coming from your private account.  After a patron signs up for text reminders, they receive a confirmation text that they respond to in order to actually receive the texts.

I am just beginning to use this app, so I cannot give data yet on its effectiveness, but this is a free opportunity to reach out and contact patrons in the way many of them live.  Have you tried this app or a similar one? 

-Lara Lakari

Marinette County Library

2016 Outreach Opportunity for "Afterschool" Conference

Recently, the Wisconsin AfterSchool Association held their annual conference and I was very glad to know that Wisconsin public librarians were in attendance.  AfterSchool is a great organization with whom we can partner—same kids, same ideas!  One of your peers had this to say about the 2014conference: “I attended AND presented last year and thought,  ‘Why aren’t my youth librarian peers here in force?’ I think youth librarians in WI would really get a lot out of WAA– as well possibly considering presenting some great programs that have worked well with school-agers!” If you missed the 2015 conference, or attended and now want to present, please see the information below and attached regarding next year’s event.

The Wisconsin AfterSchool Association is requesting proposals for workshop presentations for the next Annual Conference which will be held on April 8 & 9, 2016 at Country Springs in Waukesha, WI.  The Association is looking for speakers for April 9th.

    

Workshop presenters have the option of one free conference registration per workshop or an honorarium of $50 for each workshop. If asked to repeat your workshop, a second stipend is provided. In addition to formal workshops a more informal presentation is a Poster Session, which is a mini-workshop or display presenting resources or activities. Poster session presenters will receive a $25 honorarium or a $25 discount on conference registration.  All proposals must be received by October 1, 2016.

If you have any questions about the Wisconsin AfterSchool Association or want to get involved sooner than next April, contact Trina Tiffany at waa.organization@gmail.com.

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

"Air Defenders" Kits Coming to Your Library

This week you will receive an “Air Defenders” kit at your library.  These kits are a resource provided by the Department of Natural Resources.  The kits include an activity guide, a video, music to listen to and work on (writing your own lyrics), and other items.  The kits align with the “Every Hero Has a Story” summer library program theme, in addition to being a great stand-alone science program resource. 

For information about the kits or feedback about the kits, contact Lindsay Haas at the DNR:

Lindsay Haas
Air Quality Outreach Specialist – Air Program
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
141 NW Barstow Street, Rm 180
Phone: (262) 574-2113
Fax: (262) 574-2117
Lindsay.Haas@wisconsin.gov

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone Blog

Are you following the state library blog?  It’s called “Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone” and that everyone includes you!  The blog regularly features youth services posts, and you can sign up to receive blog updates via email.

If you haven’t been following the blog, you may have missed yesterday’s post about the Summer Library Program.  Check out the link to the post below, and while you are there, click the “Follow by Email” widget on the right-hand side.

Good luck with your literacy efforts, this summer and year-round!

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Save the Date

The annual Grassroots meeting is tentatively scheduled from 12 - 4 pm on Thursday, September 17 at the Kress Family Library in De Pere.

The speaker is to be determined, but we will have some sharing time and a chance to discuss some new projects.

Of course, pizza will be provided!

Reading Promo on WBAY

Check out the feature that was done on WBAY-TV this morning on the important of summer reading.

Brown County Library was featured and Director Brian Simons spoke about the importance of reading being fun.

Sheboygan Children's Book Festival

The Sheboygan Children's Book Festival will take place on October 9-11, 2015.

Authors and illustrators schedule to appear include: Kenn Nesbitt, Miranda Paul, Justin Roberts, Christian Robinson and more.

This year's theme is "A World of Wonders."

Check out the site on attending or volunteering for the 6th Annual event.

Revisiting Accessibility on the Web

The following link was shared with me by our technology consultant, Ryan Claringbole.  He has also shared it with system technology staff.

The link goes to a web magazine article that identifies several articles related to accessibility issues and options, such as using low-powered devices (e.g. older models of the Kindle) to access the web for those who suffer from migraines.

http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=552ab950f555406e7dd967eda&id=e9419c1433

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

May Edition of Youth Service Showcase

April showers bring May flowers, but what do May flowers bring?  The May edition of the Youth Services Showcase!

Check out this month's edition of the Showcase to find examples of:

·         The CSLP Teen Video Challenge winner from Wisconsin 

·         Yoga for youth

·         Furry library supporters, and 

·         A unique library service club.

View this month's Showcase here: http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_showcase.

Sign up to receive the Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone blog by email, and hear about the Showcase on the first of the month! http://wilibrariesforeveryone.blogspot.com/

Anyone is welcome to submit content and ideas for the Showcase; e.g., librarians, library directors, proud parents, supportive colleagues, etc. Only contributions featuring Wisconsin youth services and Wisconsin public libraries will be featured on the Showcase. Collaborative projects can be submitted; however, the Showcase will focus on the public library connection; e.g., a photo of a library book talk at a 4-H meeting will emphasize public library outreach. To submit an item for the Showcase, contact Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant.

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Youth and Special Services Consultant

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction