ALSC Institute Program Highlights: Tween Programming, Early Childhood Partnerships, Making Advocacy Awesome
Meeting children’s librarians from across the country is one of the many benefits of attending the ALSC Institute. In some cases, that even includes the librarians who are presenting the workshops. In many cases, the programs are presented by librarians from different states, collaborating on a single concept but adding a variety of perspectives. Often they have met in person, serving on ALSC committees together, but in some cases they have only met “virtually” to collaborate on their presentations. Here are three programs that will be presented, with great ideas you can take back and use in your library, that feature speakers from different states working together on the topic:
Making Advocacy Awesome: Presented by Helen Bloch of Oakland PL, CA, Jenna Nemec-Loise of Chicago PL, IL and Katie O’Dell of Multnomah County PL, OR. If you hear “advocacy,” and think “scary,” this program is for you! Engage in hands-on activities and practical applications of the basics for advocating both within your library and beyond it. Presenter Helen Bloch says “I am very excited to be a part of this panel. The Everyday Advocacy website www.ala.org/everyday-advocacy/ ; has great tools everybody can use to advocate for libraries. This workshop provides an opportunity to share those tools and put them into practical situations librarians encounter every day. In reality, children’s librarians advocate for their libraries every time they present a storytime or find a “just right” book for a patron. We will discuss reframing these everyday library services so that administrators can make funders aware of what the library is doing and why they are doing it.”
Easy Tween Programming: Ernie Cox, College Community School District (IA); Penny Peck, San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (CA). Expand you programming toolbox with these field tested programs for tweens (youth ages 9-13, or grades 4-8). Participants will experience a range of options from one-time programs including Star Wars Reading Day, hands-on Maker programs, programs celebrating specific books, authors, or subjects, as well as ongoing programming series options, including stop motion animation, book discussion groups, Lego clubs, and board and video gaming. Ernie Cox commented “We’ll get librarians ready to harness the varied interests and talents of tweens through no stress programming options. Participants – be prepared to make the library a tween destination.” Co-presenter Penny Peck concurs: “Tweens often need a safe place to go after school or on weekends or vacations, so offering some practical, hands-on no-fuss tween programs can help them identify the library as that place.”
Early Childhood Partnerships: Dorothy Stoltz, Carroll County Library (MD); Nancee Dahms-Stinson, Springfield-Greene County Library (MO); Christy Estrovitz, San Francisco Public Library (CA); Betsy Diamant-Cohen, Mother Goose on the Loose LLC. Libraries are redefining their role as partners with parents and child-serving agencies to better serve children birth through five. Hear a discussion about how libraries are at the “community table” and are creating successful collaborations among early childhood allies — parents, caregivers, agencies, and, public officials. Christy Estrovitz mentioned that “Our community partners are library ambassadors. Through collaborative programs and conversations, they help us spread library love to new audiences.” 
These are just three of the many wonderful workshops to choose from at the ALSC Institute! To register for the ALSC Institute, and for more information on these and other programs that will be offered, check out: www.ala.org/alsc/institute.
Penny Peck, San Jose State Univ., School of Library and Information Science