Tag Archives: Populations

Story and Strategy a Library Con – 1 LEU

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Want to bring Library Con to your library? Learn how our library held a full day, system-wide library con across three locations. We’ll share our strategy for working with community partners to offer LARP demonstrations, Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs, cosplay demos and miniature painting, a costume contest, and an outdoor movie night. All of this and more to engage new library patrons while highlighting services, programs and collections.

Date Recorded: 2/11/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Caele Pemberton, Head of Marketing and Community Engagement and Ben Rutz, Digital Media Coordinator / Kokomo-Howard County Public Library

 

Working with Community Partners to Bring Adventure to the Library – 1 LEU

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board game pieces wizard, archer and ogreLearn how our library works closely with community partners to bring fun adventures to our patrons. By working closely with our local game shop, toy store, comic book store, volunteer GMs, a local brewery (the list could go on and on), we’re able to provide an array of fun events related to gaming, filmmaking and more. These events bring new users to the library who sometimes have never set foot inside before. Find out how we make it work and strategies we suggest to work with partners in your community.

Date Recorded: 1/14/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Caele Pemberton, Head of Marketing and Community Engagement and Ben Rutz, Digital Media Coordinator / Kokomo-Howard County Public Library

 

Tearing down barriers to accessibility the road to becoming a certified autism center 7-9-2025

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image of multi color puzzle pieces of the autism ribbonThe Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library was given the opportunity to become a Certified Autism Center through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in 2023 when the branch first opened. Branch Manager, Shelby Peak, and Children’s Librarian, Sarah Tadsen, both disability advocates in their community, will share Fort Ben’s story of pursuing accreditation and the impact this process has had on the branch staff, the local community, and the entire IndyPL system.

Shelby Peak is the Branch Manager of the Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library, the library’s newest branch location which opened to the public in August of 2023. She has been in multiple youth services roles for IndyPL over the last ten years across the system. While working with youth, she noted the challenges with developing sustainable programs and services for patrons with disabilities and sensory sensitivities and realized how it is overlooked in the design and management of programs and services for patrons, staff, and volunteers. Her experience and relationships with the local disability community contributed to her input for the new library during construction. She is a current board member for the Lawrence Advisory Council on Disabilities and helps host their annual Disability Resource Fair at the library.

Sarah Tadsen is a children’s librarian at the Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library. Starting as a shelving page in 2015, she has been in multiple roles at IndyPL during her nearly ten years with the system. Since she discovered the inequities faced by library users with disabilities and the lack of accessible services, she has been an outspoken advocate for accessibility. She is the Communications Chair for the Lawrence Advisory Council on Disabilities and a member of the disability community.

Date Recorded: 7/9/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Shelby Peak / Branch Manager and Sarah Tadsen / Children’s Librarian both of Fort Ben Branch of the Indianapolis Public library

 

A Trauma informed care for grieving families – 1 LEU

Populations, Uncategorized, , ,

image of drawing of two sad women embracingObjectives of this webinar are to learn how grief affects children at different developmental stages. The Do’s and Don’ts of trauma informed responses. And how to best support grieving youth and families.

Date Recorded: 6/25/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Lindsy Diener-Locke / Ryan’s Place (Goshen, Indiana)

 

Empowering Libraries to Support Caregivers Essential Resources and Strategies – 1 LEU

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Caregivers often face overwhelming physical, emotional, and mental challenges while balancing caregiving with their own well-being. In this session, librarians will learn how to support caregivers by connecting them with trusted health resources from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other key organizations. Participants will explore effective strategies for making libraries welcoming, resource-rich spaces for caregivers and gain practical tools to help prevent caregiver burnout within the community. Join us to strengthen your library’s role as a supportive hub for caregivers, fostering resilience and connection.

Date Recorded: 01/08/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Bobbi L. Newman, MLIS, MA, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist, Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 6, Wellness Ambassador, Senior Librarian, The University of Iowa Libraries

2025 State of the Child with Indiana Youth Institute – 1 LEU

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To improve the lives of all Indiana children, Indiana Youth Institute provides access to reliable data and resources to empower, educate, and equip those who impact youth. Join us for a dive into the recently released 2025 Indiana KIDS COUNT® Data Book during this State of the Child presentation! Learn and engage with the best and most recent information on child well-being, to inform leaders, policymakers, youth workers, and advocates, like you, with go-to sources for critical data to create positive change for youth in your community.

Date Recorded: 3/26/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Indiana Youth Institute staff

Resources:

What’s Cooking in the Library? – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , , , , , ,

image of young girl cookingAre you looking to spice up your library programs? Does the thought of cooking classes make you blanch? This session focuses on cooking programs for preschoolers through teens. We will introduce the basics of adding cooking programs to your list of library activities, sharing resources, recipes, techniques, and tips for success. Let us make cooking a whisk you’ll be willing to take!

Date Recorded: 11/27/2024

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Erika Wagner, Programming and Outreach Librarian and Cindy Baumeister, Branch Supervisor / Crown Point Community Library

Resources:

 

Detecting Fraud Against Older Adults: Building Awareness and Resources for Library Staff – 1 LEU

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Financial fraud and exploitation results in the loss of billions of dollars every year.  These crimes often go unreported because victims are scared, embarrassed, or don’t know who to call. The U.S. Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, provides services to adults aged 60 and older who experience financial fraud and exploitation to help them report the crime and access appropriate resources.  In addition to the financial impact of these crimes, the emotional toll older adult victims of fraud suffer can be devastating.  Professionals that interact frequently with older adults can play a critical role in identifying potential frauds and scams and utilize the opportunity to raise awareness of and share resources that may be available to assist victims of financial fraud, such as the NEFH.  This presentation will cover some common scams, warning signs to look for, available resources, and steps to take should one suspect a fraud or scam is taking place.

Date: 07/31/2024

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Helen Supanich, Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline

Ms. Supanich has ten years’ experience providing services to older adults. She is currently a Case Management Shift Supervisor for the Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline. Previously, Ms. Supanich worked as an Advocate for the VOCA-funded Holistic Elder Abuse Response Team (“HEART”) at the non-profit WISE & Healthy Aging, where she partnered with Adult Protective Services and Long Beach Police Department; she provided case management and advocacy services to older/dependent adult abuse survivors. Prior to this, Ms. Supanich was an Ombudsman with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in Los Angeles County (Region II), where she investigated abuse, neglect, and other issues at long-term care facilities in her assigned region and served as an advocate for residents at these facilities.

 

Geri-Fit at the Library: A Look at Evidence-Based Fitness Programming in Libraries – 1 LEU

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Learn how libraries can partner with local and state funding sources to bring evidence-based fitness programs, fall prevention courses, and chronic disease-management classes to their libraries. The focus will be on older adult programming. Hear from other Indiana libraries about their success stories and expansion efforts into offering community education classes for this special segment of the population.

Date Recorded: 04/10/24

Format:  Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:  Fran Fisher, CEO of Geri-Fit Company, LLC

Indiana Educational Scholarship Accounts – 1 LEU

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Indiana Educational Scholarship Accounts – How INESA helps hundreds of Hoosier families fund a unique education for their child with intellectual disabilities. Sam Gilmore and PJ Vaught, representing the Treasurer of the State’s office, share information about how to enroll your child and where to find a list of ESA providers.

Date Recorded: 03/28/24

Format:  Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Sam Gilmore and PJ Vaught, Treasurer of the State’s Office

Resources: INESA 2024_2025 Presentation