BOOKS & STORIES CHILDREN’S FAIRYLAND BREAKOUT SESSIONS|ALSC INSTITUTE

CHILDREN’S FAIRYLAND BREAKOUT SESSIONS|ALSC INSTITUTE September 19, 2014
BOOKS & STORIES
Almost Like the Real Thing: Mock Caldecott
Presenter: Carla Kozak (San Francisco Public Library)
A "Mock Caldecott" boosts professional development, hones skills in book evaluation, and prepares one
for the joy and honor of serving on the actual committee. Glean practical tips for organizing, planning,
and contributing to or leading a Mock Caldecott session with your peers, and gain insight into the
experience.
It’s Just Fiction: Race, Culture, and Power in Books for Young Readers
Presenter: Mitali Perkins (Author)
Fiction is powerful, as propagandists know, and books can convey a "single story" about a particular
group of people. This can be dangerous, as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie eloquently argued in her nowclassic TED talk. In this session, author Mitali Perkins will present some thought-provoking questions
about literature for young readers. Participants will discuss themes related to race, culture, and power
in current children's books, noting examples that present such themes excellently.
A Loop of String: String Stories and String Stunts
Presenter: Ruth Stotter (Author)
String stories have been classified as the world's first "picture" stories. Using a loop of string,
participants will make string figures, learn string stories, and talk about the cross cultural use of this folk
art.
The Storytelling Revolution at Your Library
Presenter: John Weaver (Menlo Park and Livermore Public Libraries and Professional Storyteller)
Support literacy goals, promote your collection, carry on an ages-old human tradition, and have fun by
creating storytelling programs at your library! Storytelling has the power to share culture, build
community, sharpen visualization & prediction skills, and encourage reading (and writing). We’ll discuss
ideas for making storytelling a part of your library programming, and you’ll even get to hear a story or
two!
DIVERSITY IN ACTION
Aiming for Inclusion in Public Library Early Literacy Programs
Presenters: Kelly Clark (Vancouver Public Library) and Tess Prendergast (University of British Columbia)
Inclusion in early childhood means that culturally and developmentally diverse children participate
together. This session highlights the challenges and opportunities for children’s librarians as they aim to
offer truly inclusive early literacy programs, services, and collections. By demonstrating a range of
techniques discussing various scenarios, the presenters will share their experiences working with diverse
groups of children. Together participants will explore the rationale for continually expanding the overall
inclusiveness of our everyday programs and services.
Bye-Bye Binary: Expanding Notions of Gender and Children
Presenters: Joel Baum and Morgan Darby (Gender Spectrum)
This session is designed to provide conference attendees with an enhanced perspective about the ways
in which young people are experiencing gender, both their own and that of their peers. The workshop
will feature an introduction to a multi-dimensional framework for understand gender that challenges
simplistic, biologically-based binary definitions. Instead, gender is explored through the complex
CHILDREN’S FAIRYLAND BREAKOUT SESSIONS|ALSC INSTITUTE September 19, 2014
intersection of sex, expression, and identity. Grounded in key terminology and concepts, participants
will then have an opportunity to explore various children's literature that bring a more nuanced and
inclusive treatment of gender, as well as share resources with which they have become familiar as well.
The session will then wrap-up with a call to action for children's librarians to take leadership in
supporting all children to celebrate the gender diversity in all of us.
Serving the Underserved: Library Programs and Services by, for, and relevant to Community
Presenter: Amy Cheney (Alameda County Juvenile Hall)
Many of our potential patrons do not come to the library for a variety of reasons: they are in preschool,
they do not have transportation, they are in a locked facility, they are busy, they are intimidated, they
don't see the relevance, they don't even know we are here, the library doesn't have books that reflect
their culture or language. We will share and talk about who the underserved are and why, ideas for
programs and services for youth (preschool - teen) and the people in whose care they are entrusted.
Topics covered: outreach, reluctant readers, self-published books and why you need to know about
them - and whatever else comes up! With over 25 years experience in serving the underserved, we can
travel a lot of ground and/or focus on specifics.
ECRR2
Let’s Talk about Early Learning with Families
Presenters: Suzanne Flint (CA State Library Consultant) and Madeline Walton-Hadlock (San Jose Public
Library)
How do libraries create engaging, interactive programs for young children that support family strengths
and respond to community needs? We'll talk a bit about the California State Library's Early Learning with
Families initiative and share some great ideas coming out of California, such as play-based programs and
the development of Brazelton Touchpoints for public libraries. Next, we'd like to open the floor to a
discussion. What are some best practices you have identified when working with young children and
their families in a library setting? How can libraries support parents and caregivers during the critical
first five years of a child's life?
Play On! A Whole Body Approach to Early Literacy
Presenters: Alli Cuentos and Lynne Maes (Pulsing Word Consultants)
Using our Family Dance Party template, we will explore how shape, flow, space, trust, voice, and
cooperation foster essential cognitive-motor links, build motivation in young children, and lead to easier
reading….all linked to ECRR2 practices. Librarians will learn games and physical play frameworks that can
be integrated into story time or used to build a stand-alone program.
Readability=Accessibility: Looking at Your Library Through Your Patrons’ Eyes
Presenters: Helen Bloch and Ann Daniels (Oakland Public Library)
Learn how to make your library’s services and collections more accessible and inviting to children and
their caregivers by improving the readability of signage and written materials. Join library staff and
literacy specialists, who have partnered to adapt ECRR2 materials, and discuss improving library
accessibility for patrons with limited English, low literacy skills, and those not familiar with library
services.
Reinventing Preschool Storytime with 21st Century Skills in Mind
Presenter: Betsy Diamant-Cohen (Mother Goose on the Loose)
CHILDREN’S FAIRYLAND BREAKOUT SESSIONS|ALSC INSTITUTE September 19, 2014
The important role repetition plays in learning combined with creative ways to repeat a book
strengthens a variety of early literacy skills. Transform children from passive listeners to active
participants while exploring ways to plan preschool storytimes with an ulterior motive. Use books and
purposeful play to build self-esteem, strengthen self-regulation skills, increase language use and
vocabulary, provide opportunities for children to work together, inspire imagination, improve social and
emotional skills, and much more!
#WeNeedDiverseBooks: How can we encourage diversity in children’s literature?
Presenter: Sharon McKellar (Oakland Public Library)
Diversity in children’s literature has been a hot topic recently. How can we encourage this diversity?
Join this discussion to generate ideas, share stories, and think about how we can work together to
change the status quo. A few topics to get us started may include: collection development, policy,
programming, and working with independent authors and publishers.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Boogers, Books and Behavior: The Elementary School Mind
Presenter: Shana Barchas (Children’s Fairyland)
This breakout session will delve into the brains, actions, feelings, and choices of children aged 5-10. It
will specifically look at stage theories regarding the development of cognition, morality, and humor.
Plan to share some memories, discuss experiences on the job, and have a few laughs while you learn.
Cool Activities for Hot Science
Presenter: Deborah Lee Rose (Author and Howtosmile.org)
Learn how to use innovative STEM programming to engage youth at the library and in the community,
based on the ALA/AASL-honored website Howtosmile.org, with 4,000 hands-on STEM activities for all
ages, many with literature connections.
Working Together to Shatter Summer Slide
Presenters: Katie Cerqua and Karen Schell (Virginal Beach Public Library)
This break out session highlights Virginia Beach Public Library’s partnership with the Virginia Beach
Public School’s Title One locations culminating in a shared summer program to combat summer slide. A
brief presentation of this partnership will be followed by a round table discussion of library/school
summer partnerships, establishing Title One schools as community schools, defining the library’s role in
community literacy efforts, and planning and implementing programming to effectively combat summer
slide.