My Notes from Presentations that I attended at the ALSC Conference
Notes from Jenna Nemec-Loise's Presentation on 'Making Advocacy Awesome'The ALA website below has lots of information on how to do it at your library www.ala.org/everyday-advocacy/ "Advocacy is turning passive support into educated action" Consider how often patrons tell you they love the library or the programs run at the library. Advocacy involves harnessing this support. Create an elevator speech that you can use to advocate to who do not know what your role is. Elevator speeches are a 1 minute speech , describing who you are and what you do, targeted to the person you are speaking to. Describe the value of what you do , not list the activities you do. Examples are: 'I help preschoolers develop reading ready skills to prepare them for school at the library' 'I help youth develop citizenship skills at the library so they will become global citizens who vote' The formula of the elevator speech: Who are you helping: families, Actionable thing you do: I help families connect within our community Where : at the library Positive modifier: so they can be part of a strong community |
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Notes from the presentation 'Beyond Sensory Storytimes' by Renee Grassi at the 2014 ALSC Conference.
Renee’s was presentation was excellent, fantastic information and also reaffirming.
Here are my notes that I took during the presentation.
Why expand library services to include children with special needs?
· Provide a supportive and inclusive environment for a traditionally underserved group in your community
· Include children with special needs who might otherwise not be included in regular programming and services
· Provide opportunities for learning, social interaction and connection among families of children with special needs
When advocating for library services for children with special needs consider:
What do the numbers tell us?
· Stats of people with a disability
· Stats of autism and how many of those finish schools
Where do you begin?
· Acknowledge where the library currently fails
· Have conversations with your patrons
· Offer family tours for families with children with special needs
· Surveys
· Focus groups (include stakeholders etc.)
· Strategic planning
Who are your community partners?
· Anyone with any interest in this area
Community needs assessment?
Survey special needs families why or why not they visit. Ask your stakeholders to help with finding families to survey.
Some results of the survey undertaken at Renee’s library:
· 42 percent of families with a child with special needs are somewhat familiar with their library
· 42 percent are very familiar
Top library material requests:
· High interest/low reading level book collections
· Pairing chapter books with audio books
· More parenting books on special needs topics
Top services requested:
· Storytime events specially designed for children with special needs
· Book discussions for teens and adults with special needs
· Demos of how to download books to e-readers
· Social story about the library
Disability awareness training should include:
ALL staff, ALL levels - including directors
Observe a lesson at a special education school, ask a special education teacher to come into some library sessions of disability awareness training
Inclusive customer service:
· Person first language
· Adjust your mindset, your special needs storytime will not look like your mainstream ones
· Be patient, allow processing time,
· Simple questions, offer choices of communication (choice boards, writing down their request )
· Make accommodations, use all the intelligences
· Offer visual supports, visual schedule
· Assistive technologies
Tips for inclusive spaces:
· Universal design, a space where: everyone feels welcome, can access facilities and maneuver within them, can make use of equipment and software, is able to fully benefit from materials and services
· ADA standards for accessible design
· Noise or perceived noise requirements
Peer programs vs. inclusion - find out what your community what.
Benefits of peer programs - program can be tailored to each child, parents and children may find it a safer environment to be in
Drawbacks of peer programs- continues segregation, focussing on the differences
Inclusion model - children learn from each other and provide opportunity for interaction between all children and families.
What types of programs can be offered?
Endless possibilities:
· Life skills - cooking etc.
· Inclusion - storytimes, gaming, family tours etc.
· Exercise - storybook yoga, zumba, family sing-along programs
· Socialisation - lego building, arts & crafts, book clubs
· Sensory storytime vs. adapted storytime
Read to Rover:
Storytime sessions using therapy dogs, 4 times a year
1 hour dog-themed storytime for children ages 8 & up
30 min. of storytime and 30 minutes of exploration stations.
Time with dogs, craft stations, & movement activities.
Children have a timed session with each dog
Sensory-friendly family films:
Audience - all ages and abilities with carers
Description - room will be lighter, volume lower, audience can move around, noise cancelling headphones and fidgets will be available, no registration required
Room set-up: auditorium style, big aisles,
Smart starts:
Drop in program, with stations of open ended play, to develop early reading, writing, and math skills
Hosted 3 times a week
Designed for 3-8 year olds
Each week based on a theme (puzzles, etc.)
Marketing:
Places where people with disabilities frequent
Ensure you use words like, inclusive, all abilities, sensory
Promote through pre-schools
Disability expos
Other expos where libraries have a table
Local parent groups, go talk to them
Tips for advocating to non-users:
Listen first
Acknowledge their experience with libraries
Go to them
Tell your library story
SUCCESS for these programs cannot be assessed using traditional methods (i.e. numbers attending)
Renee’s was presentation was excellent, fantastic information and also reaffirming.
Here are my notes that I took during the presentation.
Why expand library services to include children with special needs?
· Provide a supportive and inclusive environment for a traditionally underserved group in your community
· Include children with special needs who might otherwise not be included in regular programming and services
· Provide opportunities for learning, social interaction and connection among families of children with special needs
When advocating for library services for children with special needs consider:
What do the numbers tell us?
· Stats of people with a disability
· Stats of autism and how many of those finish schools
Where do you begin?
· Acknowledge where the library currently fails
· Have conversations with your patrons
· Offer family tours for families with children with special needs
· Surveys
· Focus groups (include stakeholders etc.)
· Strategic planning
Who are your community partners?
· Anyone with any interest in this area
Community needs assessment?
Survey special needs families why or why not they visit. Ask your stakeholders to help with finding families to survey.
Some results of the survey undertaken at Renee’s library:
· 42 percent of families with a child with special needs are somewhat familiar with their library
· 42 percent are very familiar
Top library material requests:
· High interest/low reading level book collections
· Pairing chapter books with audio books
· More parenting books on special needs topics
Top services requested:
· Storytime events specially designed for children with special needs
· Book discussions for teens and adults with special needs
· Demos of how to download books to e-readers
· Social story about the library
Disability awareness training should include:
ALL staff, ALL levels - including directors
Observe a lesson at a special education school, ask a special education teacher to come into some library sessions of disability awareness training
Inclusive customer service:
· Person first language
· Adjust your mindset, your special needs storytime will not look like your mainstream ones
· Be patient, allow processing time,
· Simple questions, offer choices of communication (choice boards, writing down their request )
· Make accommodations, use all the intelligences
· Offer visual supports, visual schedule
· Assistive technologies
Tips for inclusive spaces:
· Universal design, a space where: everyone feels welcome, can access facilities and maneuver within them, can make use of equipment and software, is able to fully benefit from materials and services
· ADA standards for accessible design
· Noise or perceived noise requirements
Peer programs vs. inclusion - find out what your community what.
Benefits of peer programs - program can be tailored to each child, parents and children may find it a safer environment to be in
Drawbacks of peer programs- continues segregation, focussing on the differences
Inclusion model - children learn from each other and provide opportunity for interaction between all children and families.
What types of programs can be offered?
Endless possibilities:
· Life skills - cooking etc.
· Inclusion - storytimes, gaming, family tours etc.
· Exercise - storybook yoga, zumba, family sing-along programs
· Socialisation - lego building, arts & crafts, book clubs
· Sensory storytime vs. adapted storytime
Read to Rover:
Storytime sessions using therapy dogs, 4 times a year
1 hour dog-themed storytime for children ages 8 & up
30 min. of storytime and 30 minutes of exploration stations.
Time with dogs, craft stations, & movement activities.
Children have a timed session with each dog
Sensory-friendly family films:
Audience - all ages and abilities with carers
Description - room will be lighter, volume lower, audience can move around, noise cancelling headphones and fidgets will be available, no registration required
Room set-up: auditorium style, big aisles,
Smart starts:
Drop in program, with stations of open ended play, to develop early reading, writing, and math skills
Hosted 3 times a week
Designed for 3-8 year olds
Each week based on a theme (puzzles, etc.)
Marketing:
Places where people with disabilities frequent
Ensure you use words like, inclusive, all abilities, sensory
Promote through pre-schools
Disability expos
Other expos where libraries have a table
Local parent groups, go talk to them
Tips for advocating to non-users:
Listen first
Acknowledge their experience with libraries
Go to them
Tell your library story
SUCCESS for these programs cannot be assessed using traditional methods (i.e. numbers attending)
Notes on presentation 'Removing Barriers to Early Literacy for Low Income Families' by Beth Crist at the 2014 ALSC Conference.
SPELL , Supprting Parents in Early Literacy Learning, a project focussed on helping removing barriers. See the website below for more information.
spellproject.weebly.com
Research into early literacy for 0-3 year olds in low income families found the following barriers:
Strategies for addressing these barriers:.
spellproject.weebly.com
Research into early literacy for 0-3 year olds in low income families found the following barriers:
- Opening hours and program timing
- Transport to the library
- Fines and fees
- Misperception about young children not being welcome
- Concern about losing books or causing damage
Strategies for addressing these barriers:.
- Partner with established literacy groups
- Train staff in cultural proficiency (low income, talking about the unspoken middle class rules)
- Reach out to religious institutions
- Eliminate fines and fees for board books and picture books
- Promote early literacy widely online and in businesses/stores/service providers
- Add fun gaming element to programs
- Look up 'story blocks' on the web for example of online literacy marketing
- Talk to expectant mothers to promote early literacy
Notes on Advocacy for Technology in Kids Spaces by Elizabeth Gray at the 2014 ALSC Conference.
Watch the language you use, FOCUS ON computer learning - not gaming computers - EARLY LITERACY COMPUTERS
Tips to advocate with community:
Tips for advocating with staff:
Tips for advocating for funding:
- Consider issues of what technology is developmentally appropriate.
- Access to developmentally appropriate technology is important to kindergarten readiness , consider the skills that are required
- You will need to advocate with parents, many parents validy have issues with technology in kids spaces
- Raise the issue of how much is spent on adult technology vs. childrens
- Communication is the key, build support for what you want to do.
- What are the technology needs of the children in your community? Do your library services fit the needs of your community?
- Consider that technology provides another entry point to reading for some children, ie those with special needs.
- Fit your proposal to the library / council goals and mission statement
- Maximise the resources you have now
Tips to advocate with community:
- Reach out, keep them informed all the way
- Listen to parents, talk about the positives, provide option
Tips for advocating with staff:
- Include and align with them
- Train and highlight skills needed
Tips for advocating for funding:
- Meet with friends groups
2014 ALSC National Institute
I will be attending the Association for Library Service to Children National Conference in Oakland, California in September of 2014.
The conference is for children's librarians and educators. It is one of the only conferences devoted solely to children's librarianship, literature and technology and takes place every two years.
Two of the sessions I am hoping to attend are:
Beyond Sensory Storytime: Expanding Library Services to Children with Special Needs
Renee Grassi, Glencoe Public Library (IL)
Whether large or small, rural or urban, all library communities serve children with special needs. If your library already offers Sensory Storytime, what else can you do? Participants will learn how to assess the need for special needs services in their library communities, forge new partnerships with outside organizations, and be inspired by new and innovative programming ideas. This program will also explore strategies to reevaluate and make accommodations in existing youth programs for an inclusive audience.
Inspired Collaboration: 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, Kathy Shahbodaghi, Columbus Metropolitan Library (OH)
Libraries are redefining their role as partners with parents and child-serving agencies to better serve children birth through five. Please join us for a panel discussion about how libraries are at the “community table” and are creating successful collaborations among early childhood allies – parents, caregivers, agencies, and, public officials. Learn how libraries are incorporating Every Child Ready to Read into partnership efforts.
Information from the ALSC website: http://www.ala.org/alsc/institute
I will be attending the Association for Library Service to Children National Conference in Oakland, California in September of 2014.
The conference is for children's librarians and educators. It is one of the only conferences devoted solely to children's librarianship, literature and technology and takes place every two years.
Two of the sessions I am hoping to attend are:
Beyond Sensory Storytime: Expanding Library Services to Children with Special Needs
Renee Grassi, Glencoe Public Library (IL)
Whether large or small, rural or urban, all library communities serve children with special needs. If your library already offers Sensory Storytime, what else can you do? Participants will learn how to assess the need for special needs services in their library communities, forge new partnerships with outside organizations, and be inspired by new and innovative programming ideas. This program will also explore strategies to reevaluate and make accommodations in existing youth programs for an inclusive audience.
Inspired Collaboration: 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, Kathy Shahbodaghi, Columbus Metropolitan Library (OH)
Libraries are redefining their role as partners with parents and child-serving agencies to better serve children birth through five. Please join us for a panel discussion about how libraries are at the “community table” and are creating successful collaborations among early childhood allies – parents, caregivers, agencies, and, public officials. Learn how libraries are incorporating Every Child Ready to Read into partnership efforts.
Information from the ALSC website: http://www.ala.org/alsc/institute