Tag Archives: Youth Services

The Teen Engagement Blueprint: Outreach that Works – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , , ,

This webinar will introduce practical, beginner-friendly steps for building effective teen outreach. Learn how to connect with schools, youth organizations, and community partners to promote library services and create meaningful programs for teens. We’ll cover how to initiate partnerships, identify community needs, and design outreach that meets teens where they are. Attendees will leave with simple strategies and ready-to-use ideas to jump-start or strengthen their teen outreach efforts.  1 hr / 1 LEU

Date Recorded: 4/8/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Ryan Calhoun, Bremen Public Library

Resources:

 

Unearth a Story: Indiana’s Amazing Caves – 1 LEU

Youth Services, ,

Cave with waterfall flowing out of entrance“Unearth a Story,” the CSLP slogan for summer reading in 2026, is about so much more than dinosaurs!  Dig into Indiana’s fascinating cave systems as Carla Striegel-Winner with the Indiana Karst Conservancy explains how they were formed and what you might find in them….including animals like blind fish and amazing ice age mammal bones!   In addition to discovering the basics of caves, Carla will go over plenty of resources. Leave this webinar with the basic knowledge needed to run a program or two about caves at your library for any age.  1 hr / 1 LEU

Date Recorded: 3/3/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Carla Striegel-Winner, Indiana Karst Conservancy

Resources:

 

 

Unearth a Story with the Indiana State Museum – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , ,

CSLP’s summer reading theme “Unearth a Story” isn’t limited to dinosaurs–it can apply to anything underground! Curatorial and Engagement staff from the Indiana State Museum will give us a brief overview of the history of Indiana geology and archeology, share a bit about what fossils can be found here, and will highlight activities that can be done with youth at your library.

Date Recorded: 2/4/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Indiana State Museum staff

Resources:  ISM Suggested Activities Material List

CSLP 2026: Unearth a Story webinar – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , , , ,

Join us for a presentation about the 2026 Unearth a Story “dinosaur” theme, including suggested resources for planning and other general information.

Date Recorded: 1/7/2026

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Beth Yates, Indiana State Library

Resources:

 

Playful Opportunities – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , ,

Let’s explore fun ways to make our spaces engaging, interactive, and thought provoking! Play is crucial for early literacy development, but how do we get our community to engage with these carefully curated activities and spaces? You will leave this session newly inspired with fresh ideas for scavenger hunts, StoryWalks, self-directed programming, and designing safe spaces for our smallest patrons.

Date Recorded: 11/19/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Kelsey Fickinger and Emily Leitch, Peabody Public Library

Introducing TeachingBooks for Schools (2025) – 1 LEU

INSPIRE 2, Youth Services, , , , ,

Join TeachingBooks staff as they explore time-saving teaching tools for teachers, including video and audio recordings with authors, lessons, book trailers, vocabulary lists, and more. Discover ways to deepen connections to books with online materials to engage readers, support families, and facilitate collaboration. 45min / 1 LEU

Date Recorded: 10/23/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Crystal Ballard, TeachingBooks

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

Populations, , , , , ,

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

 

Successful Community Partnerships through Intentional Outreach – 1 LEU

Programming, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

We’re compelled, as librarians, to try and answer to all of our communities’ needs. But with growing demands and tightening budgets, it becomes increasingly challenging to stretch our capacities. Sometimes all we have to be is the connectors! Community Outreach Manager Katie Reineke will discuss ways the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library Outreach Department has leveraged successful community partnerships by connecting subject experts to their residents. She will also share clever tools EVPL Outreach has applied to continuously expand its reach with the same staff and budget for 3 years. 1 hr / 1 LEU

Date Recorded: 9/4/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:  Katie Reineke, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library

Resources:

  • This Google Folder contains the following documents:
    • Outreach Partner Form template
    • Outreach Form Questions document
    • EVPL Outreach Events Calendar spreadsheet with column headings
    • Community Touchpoint Map instructions
    • Touchpoint Companion spreadsheet with column headings
  • Learn more about Book and Cook program

PBS Kids Resources – 1 LEU

Youth Services, ,

Join WFYI to learn about PBS Kids resources! We will share where to find them, how to use them and introduce collections that are specifically designed for libraries! 1 hr / 1 LEU

Date Recorded: 8/21/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Laura Makin, WFYI & Jessica Neeb-Smith, Indianapolis Public Library

Resources:

Building Collections for Every Patron with TeachingBooks – 1 LEU

Youth Services, , , , , ,

Dive deep into diversifying your collection with TeachingBooks resources. Join us to learn how to use our Diverse Books Toolkit to analyze the cultural representation in your existing collections, how to identify great books to fill gaps, and how to use TeachingBooks resources to promote those books and facilitate conversation with your library staff and patrons.

Date Recorded: 8/7/2025

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Crystal Ballard, TeachingBooks