Join Indiana Children and Nature Network (ICAN) to explore nature play possibilities at your library! Learn what ICAN Nature Play Days are, who can host one (YOUR LIBRARY!), how to organize and plan a nature play day, nature play activity and book ideas, tips on connecting with partners and sponsors, and practical experiences from nature play day hosts. ICAN Nature Play Days are June 1st-9th in 2024.
Presenter: Dr. Carla Gull volunteers as the state coordinator of Indiana Children and Nature Network and is on her local library board. She is the coordinator of and associate professor in the master of arts in environmental education at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College. She is coauthor of the book, Loose Parts Learning in K-3 Classrooms, and hosts the podcast, Loose Parts Nature Play.
Date Recorded: 3/13/2024
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Dr. Carla Gull / State Coordinator of Indiana Children and Nature Network & Professor at Goshen College
Resources:
- Hosting a NPD for Libraries slides
- Indiana Children and Nature Network Nature Play Days–sign up to host here!
- 2023 Blueberry Award Winners–nature-based books
- Natural Start Alliance–indigenous perspectives book list–one book list in each journal volume
- Temporary and Mobile Nature Play Spaces Podcast Episode
- Tinkergarten Nature Activities
- Tinkergarten Advice for Encouraging Parents to Let Children Develop Resilience and Grit
- Loose Parts and Nature Related Books
Learn about free and low cost programming for youth in this webinar, led by a library programmer! We will talk about things you can do on the fly and programs you can plan for next to nothing out of your library budget. We will cover all ages from birth to 18.
Build excitement about summer reading! Join us for a look at summer reading lists and programming ideas. Inspire independent reading with TeachingBooks resources that let the books and their authors speak for themselves. TeachingBooks is provided to all Indiana schools, public libraries, universities and residents through INSPIRE, a service of the Indiana State Library.
Strong school-library partnerships are vital for students in our communities. In 2022, the St. Joe County Public Library designed the SB READy program, which provided 16 schools, 57 classes, and more than 950 Kindergarteners with library cards, field trips and outreach storytimes. In this session, learn how to build comprehensive school partnership plans, pitch ideas to school and library administrators, gain teacher and library staff buy-in, and make the magic happen!
Get started planning your 2024 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 receive updates about and resources for the 2024 CSLP Summer Reading Program “Adventure Begins at Your Library.”
As one of the few public places where peace and quiet can often be found, libraries have long served autistic children and adults well. Still, popular group activities held at libraries can be an issue for autistic children who can easily become overwhelmed by the noise and activity of peers. Librarians and staff can become overwhelmed as well, when responses to sensory or social inaccessibility lead to what some people call “behaviors.” In this presentation, we will discuss brain differences in autism and how these create unique sensory profiles which in turn determine responses to the environment. You will learn about the sensory and social needs of autistic people and how to create an environment that promotes calmness and security, as well as how to prevent or respond to meltdowns. The presentation also includes book recommendations for all ages.
Join Beth Yates, Children’s Consultant at the Indiana State Library, as she gives an overview of INSPIRE databases that could be useful to those who work with youth. INSPIRE is Indiana’s Lifelong Learning Library for Hoosiers. Its collection of online academic databases and other information resources can be accessed for free by Indiana residents.
Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are an immersive tool to help students engage with and experience curriculum material in an enjoyable way while also practicing key social emotional and problem-solving skills. Join Steph Campbell, an engineering professor, a TTRPG writer, and owner/writer for TTRPGkids as they share their experiences from both pre-K and college level applied TTRPG experience.
Libraries give their communities access to amazing online resources with enormous potential to improve lives and build skills, but these databases and digital courses are a challenge to promote and often underutilized. The St. Joe County Public Library has had success with Bendable, a life long learning platform that pairs online learning with in person connections. Community engagement and outreach are at the heart of our strategy, and we work directly with community members, organizations, and businesses to curate learning opportunities. These strategies focus on workforce development and partner networks. This webinar will provide an introduction to Bendable and also explore strategies for learning-centered engagement and outreach that can be implemented by any library.