Learn about TALK: Text and Learn for Kindergarten, a text messaging program based on Every Child Ready to Read that empowers parents and caregivers to prepare their little ones for school success by sending easy, fun activity suggestions they can do at home.
In partnership with the Indiana State Library and Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, with funding from an IMLS National Leadership grant, TALK is now available in Indiana. Originally developed and tested by libraries in Washtenaw County, Michigan with IMLS/LSTA funds distributed through the Library of Michigan, TALK is currently being used by many public libraries in Michigan to reach parents they might not see at library storytimes. Learn details about the service, the toolkits, and how you can use text messaging to help improve school readiness in your community.
Date Recorded: 11/2/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Jodi Krahnke, Head of Youth Services and Angie Martin-Schwarze, TALK Program Assistant / Ypsilanti District Library (Michigan)
Children’s literature is full of philosophical questions and ideas, reflecting an awareness of children’s propensities to think about life’s big questions. This webinar will explore ways to inspire exploration with children about their big questions through children’s books. We will examine several examples of philosophically-suggestive works, and will engage as a group in a philosophical inquiry based on a picture book. You will come away with ideas and resources for involving children in philosophical questioning and discovery through literature.
Date Recorded: 10/25/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Jana Mohr Lone, Executive Director of Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) and Affiliate Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington
In this webinar, Katie Lehman of the Muncie Public Library’s Ready Readers program will explore a variety of methods used by the program to engage children in reading in creative and fun ways. Participants will learn different ways that these approaches can be incorporated into their own library’s programming.
Katie Lehman is the founding leader of the Muncie Public Library’s Ready Readers program, a free one-on-one literacy training and reading tutoring service for children ages 1-12. She has spent the last 10 years working with children in various settings including preschools, after school programs, and libraries.
The Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit is a suite of research-backed resources created for library staff to help families prepare children ages 0 to 8 for success in school and in life. Through an interactive presentation with hands-on activities, this training will introduce library staff to the research, practical implications, and resources offered in the toolkit, which is available in its entirety for free online. Participants will understand key findings from current cognitive and developmental psychology research, reflect on the implications of those findings for their daily work, and gain practical ready-to-implement ideas for activities, as well as resources for staff training and for parents/caregivers. You will benefit from this workshop if you work with children ages 0 to 8 and their families and would like to learn more about how to offer research-backed programming in your library!
Date Recorded: 9/16/22 and 9/17/2022
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Beth Yates / ISL Children’s Consultant and Suzanne Walker / Indiana Young Reader’s Center Librarian and Director of the Indiana Center for the Book
The Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award brings together young children and great picture books, but it can’t be done without public libraries. Learn about the award and how one Indiana library implements the program each year. Updates to the program and an overview of the annual program guide will also be covered.
Speaker, Amy Caswell has worn hats in the library world since 2012. She earned her MLS degree from IUPUI in 2015, and since has focused exclusively working in Youth Services. She currently is a Children’s Librarian at the Downtown Library of Monroe County Public Library where she enjoys hosting a weekly Preschool Storytime, among other programs. She loves the controlled chaos of working with children. Amy is currently going through the Project READY training, which she highly recommends to any and all library folks.
Date Recorded: 5/9/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Amy Caswell, Children’s Librarian / Monroe County Public Library
Are you new to doing storytime? Join Beth Yates, ISL Children’s Consultant, as she walks you through the whys and hows of storytime for birth through preschool-aged children. What should you consider? How do you select books? Where can you find ideas? The content of this webinar is focused on new storytime providers. *Please note that the audience discussion at the end was not recorded.*
Date Recorded: 4/19/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Beth Yates, Children’s Consultant / Indiana State Library
You may be familiar with Little Free Library. Those cute boxes that look like oversized bird houses. But they are more than just cute. Join us to learn how to use this low cost, community engagement platform to support your outreach goals. Presenters:
This webinar is eligible for Library Education Units for Indiana Librarians. The following policy applies: Any time a staff member views an online event (or a library purchases a site license for an online event) by any of the Training Providers Approved by ISL for LEUs, the library’s designee in an administrative or Human Resources role shall create and award LEU certificates in-house.
Date Recorded: 2/24/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Greig Metzger, Executive Director / Little Free Library and Joanna Sproull / Community Liaison / Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library
Get started planning your 2022 Summer Library Program by this VIRTUAL Collaborative Summer Library Program training! Join Beth Yates of the Indiana State Library for this training where you will be introduced to and receive updates about the 2022 CSLP Summer Reading Program “Oceans of Possibilities.”
The Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award is terrific, not only because it introduces parents and children ages 0-5 to high quality picture books perfect for the youngest among us, but also because it can easily be applied to early literacy standards like those developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. NAEYC is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. Join NAEYC member and Indianapolis Wayne Township preschool evaluation teacher, Jeanne Baldwin, to learn more about NAEYC’s early literacy standards, including information about duel language learners. We will also discuss how the Firefly books and programs can support the NAEYC standards. Suzanne Walker, Firefly Chair and Indiana Young Readers Center Librarian will facilitate a discussion throughout the event. 1hr / 1 LEU.
About Jeanne:Jeanne Baldwin works at Wayne Township Preschool in Indianapolis. She has degrees in Early Childhood and Special Education. She has worked in early childhood settings for 25 years, including public and private schools, Head Start, First Steps, and childcare ministries, working directly with young children and providing education and training for teachers and caregivers. Jeanne works as a member of the Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award committee. She is a member of the Central Indiana First Steps planning council, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Council for Exceptional Children, and is currently reviewing proposals for the Division of Early Childhood’s national conference.
About Suzanne:Suzanne Walker received her Masters of Library Science from Indiana University. She is currently the Indiana Young Readers Center Librarian and Director of the Indiana Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Library of Congress. She coordinates Indiana’s Letters About Literature competition annually. Suzanne judged the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards in 2013 and 2014 and the Indiana Poetry Out Loud competition in 2017. Most recently she was a judge for the 2020 Indiana Authors Awards and the 2021 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. She has presented numerous times at Indiana Library Federation’s District conferences, annual conferences, and youth conferences.
Date Recorded: 6/8/21
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Jeanne Baldwin / Wayne Township Preschool in Indianapolis and Suzanne Walker / Indiana State Library, Indiana Young Readers Center and Director of the Indiana Center for the Book
Join trainers from TeachingBooks/Book Connections to learn more about the customizable tools available on Book Connections that support your collection development and patron engagement. Discover features to help analyze and generate reports that provide data insights into the genre, cultural, and curricular classifications represented in your collections. Book Connections, a children’s and young adult literacy resource, is licensed by INSPIRE, a Service of the Indiana State Library for all Indiana residents.
Date Recorded: 4/12/2021
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenters: Alyssa Yokota-Bryon, M.Ed., Implementation & Training Specialist and Kym Davick, Director of Implementation & Educational Support / TeachingBooks/Book Connections