Dear Gang,
The 2009 PaLA Conference Program Proposal form is now ready. We suggest that you submit a program proposal using this link:
Click Here to take survey
The Youth Services Division is eager to hear from you. Please help us provide you with the best lineup of programs ever at the annual conference.
We are requesting your responses by March 16. We are hoping this will give the committee enough time to review them, before we need to turn them in to the Program Committee on or before April 6.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Thursday, February 05, 2009
From Green Sign to Green Sign, by Katherine Ayers
A particular logo pops up as you travel across Pennsylvania—a green sign with a stylized profile of a person reading along with the word LIBRARY. These green signs appear in large towns and small, in cities and rural counties, all pointing in the direction of books.
For nearly six weeks this spring I traveled Pennsylvania, visiting these public libraries. As the author of the 2008 Pennsylvania One Book (Every Young Child), I hit the road to promote early childhood literacy from Pittsburgh to Susquehanna, from Philadelphia to Greencastle, and numerous points in between.
Because I was working with young children (70+ events with children, 5 with teachers and librarians) I met many children’s librarians. These folks were kind, extremely cheerful, and possessed great senses of humor. As children entered, the librarians gave them a wide smile and said, “Hello friends.” That’s all you have to do to become a friend, just walk in the door. These days, there is no shushing. Children’s learning can be noisy and that’s just fine. Toddlers darted about. Infants bounced on laps. Sometimes they fussed but that was okay. Story hour is about the children, after all.
Or is it? In one library, while the children were having a snack after their story, the mothers were socializing intensively. But of course—it was the start of spring, and they’d been cooped up indoors with small children for months. Story hour provided intellectual stimulation for the children, but also a social support network for their mothers.
And across the state, libraries have been stretching their missions in an attempt to become centers of community. New library buildings crop up next to municipal buildings, in the midst of town playing fields, in the midst of the action. You want a tax form? No problem. Need to use a computer? Sign up here. Nationwide, libraries are developing Family Places, programs that reach out to parents with children three and under to provide information and support about all aspects of childhood from child health to typical patterns of growth and emotional development to early literacy activities.
On my own trip, I was greeted effusively in every town, every county. In one library, the community room was soon to undergo reconstruction. So on their own time, the librarians painted huge vegetables on all four walls. (My book, Up, Down, and Around is about how veggies grow.) Early in the tour, 160 children arrived for the story and songs dressed as veggies, wearing colorful tee shirts and amazing headgear—green beans dangling from vines or a green foam visor “planted” with three bright beets. Later, a librarian and teachers collaborated so that 300 kindergarteners sang my story as a song. (Twice! Once in the morning , and again in the afternoon.) Another librarian had four-year-olds decorate a tee shirt with veggies as a gift. Still another set up a farmers’ market outside the entrance. By noon, some of her display carrots had been nibbled. In seventy different events, there were seventy different stories to tell—all filled with a joyful spirit—the delight of words and stories and learning.
Children respond to this generosity—they bloom, share opinions, get excited about books and ideas. “I weally, weally wove wettuce,” one little boy confided after hearing my book. Another girl informed the room that “My sister lives with me!” I led a small group, spinning in and around the children’s room bookshelves, pretending to be pumpkin vines, tangling up the books. “This is so fun, I want to keep doing this,” said a kindergarten boy. I agree. I want him to keep tangling with books for the rest of his life. Another child, whose thoughts were stimulated by a story and discussion, asked hard, interesting questions: “Why do seeds grow?” (Not how, which I could answer.) And then, “Why don’t we grow like plants do?” Such a question had never occurred to me. I checked the bottoms of my feet for roots.
As I traveled the state, the children invigorated my spirits. Yes, I got tired of the turnpike, but I only got lost twice and ate in some fine and funky restaurants. And although I was away from home, away from my family and usual companions, I was rarely lonely. Several governors ago, the state had a promotional campaign. Its motto: You have a friend in Pennsylvania. After traveling for six weeks, from green sign to green sign, I can testify to the truth of that statement. We all have a friend in Pennsylvania—she is the librarian.
Katherine Ayres is the author of 10 books for children. She teaches writing in the MFA program at Chatham University and lives in Shadyside.
For nearly six weeks this spring I traveled Pennsylvania, visiting these public libraries. As the author of the 2008 Pennsylvania One Book (Every Young Child), I hit the road to promote early childhood literacy from Pittsburgh to Susquehanna, from Philadelphia to Greencastle, and numerous points in between.
Because I was working with young children (70+ events with children, 5 with teachers and librarians) I met many children’s librarians. These folks were kind, extremely cheerful, and possessed great senses of humor. As children entered, the librarians gave them a wide smile and said, “Hello friends.” That’s all you have to do to become a friend, just walk in the door. These days, there is no shushing. Children’s learning can be noisy and that’s just fine. Toddlers darted about. Infants bounced on laps. Sometimes they fussed but that was okay. Story hour is about the children, after all.
Or is it? In one library, while the children were having a snack after their story, the mothers were socializing intensively. But of course—it was the start of spring, and they’d been cooped up indoors with small children for months. Story hour provided intellectual stimulation for the children, but also a social support network for their mothers.
And across the state, libraries have been stretching their missions in an attempt to become centers of community. New library buildings crop up next to municipal buildings, in the midst of town playing fields, in the midst of the action. You want a tax form? No problem. Need to use a computer? Sign up here. Nationwide, libraries are developing Family Places, programs that reach out to parents with children three and under to provide information and support about all aspects of childhood from child health to typical patterns of growth and emotional development to early literacy activities.
On my own trip, I was greeted effusively in every town, every county. In one library, the community room was soon to undergo reconstruction. So on their own time, the librarians painted huge vegetables on all four walls. (My book, Up, Down, and Around is about how veggies grow.) Early in the tour, 160 children arrived for the story and songs dressed as veggies, wearing colorful tee shirts and amazing headgear—green beans dangling from vines or a green foam visor “planted” with three bright beets. Later, a librarian and teachers collaborated so that 300 kindergarteners sang my story as a song. (Twice! Once in the morning , and again in the afternoon.) Another librarian had four-year-olds decorate a tee shirt with veggies as a gift. Still another set up a farmers’ market outside the entrance. By noon, some of her display carrots had been nibbled. In seventy different events, there were seventy different stories to tell—all filled with a joyful spirit—the delight of words and stories and learning.
Children respond to this generosity—they bloom, share opinions, get excited about books and ideas. “I weally, weally wove wettuce,” one little boy confided after hearing my book. Another girl informed the room that “My sister lives with me!” I led a small group, spinning in and around the children’s room bookshelves, pretending to be pumpkin vines, tangling up the books. “This is so fun, I want to keep doing this,” said a kindergarten boy. I agree. I want him to keep tangling with books for the rest of his life. Another child, whose thoughts were stimulated by a story and discussion, asked hard, interesting questions: “Why do seeds grow?” (Not how, which I could answer.) And then, “Why don’t we grow like plants do?” Such a question had never occurred to me. I checked the bottoms of my feet for roots.
As I traveled the state, the children invigorated my spirits. Yes, I got tired of the turnpike, but I only got lost twice and ate in some fine and funky restaurants. And although I was away from home, away from my family and usual companions, I was rarely lonely. Several governors ago, the state had a promotional campaign. Its motto: You have a friend in Pennsylvania. After traveling for six weeks, from green sign to green sign, I can testify to the truth of that statement. We all have a friend in Pennsylvania—she is the librarian.
Katherine Ayres is the author of 10 books for children. She teaches writing in the MFA program at Chatham University and lives in Shadyside.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Family Place
If you've ever wondered what a Family Place Parent/Child Workshop is like,as you can see it is a lot of fun!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Inpiration!
I have never been so filled with ideas! The meetings and workshops that I have had the privilege to go to over the past 2 weeks have been astounding and inspiring.
PaLA Leadership Orientation: Every year, incoming and outgoing chairs of PaLA's divisions, committees and round tables gather together to get inspired on the best way to lead others towards this fine organization. What are the missions of our prospective areas? What haven't we tried yet to get new members interested in PaLA? What do we need to do to keep members involved in PaLA? How can I get my division inspired to do new things and be more vital to the organization? I have some new ideas inspired by this gathering that I would love to discuss with all of you at our annual meeting during the PaLA Conference on Monday, November 10, at 8 am. I promise that, with enough coffee and attendees, I will try my best to inspire you to get involved along with me.
Family Place Retreat: This was awesome! On the first day, we learned about how Norfolk, Virginia libraries went above and beyond the Family Place Library concept to redesign their branches to have Kidzones - inviting and spacious areas for play and imagination to help kids grow and learn. Go to this website: http://www.npl.lib.va.us/press/press.html and scroll down to look for the Pennsylvania Family Place PowerPoint presentation on the right. You'll be amazed and inspired too.
The second speaker was from the Vermont Center for the Book and has designed programs and kits for us to use on Science and Math concepts. Each Family Place Library got a kit of 6 of these awesome kits to bring back and make use of in many fun and creative ways. We played with blocks to make a map of the room. How many meetings let you play with blocks?
Each District also received more materials to share to make the concepts more well rounded. I already have my entire next year planned out thanks to this inspiring talk and these kits. Check them out at http://bigidea.mothergooseprograms.org/. You might be inspired to do science and math based programs with your families. Make discovery centers for families to play with science and math based objects like tangram puzzles and other fun stuff.
Between the science and math kits and talking about the upcoming art and drama based summer reading club theme (Be Creative @ Your Library: http://www.cslpreads.org/2009/cp09.htm), I began to wonder just what was left of a school curriculum we were not covering at my own library. We use the word "Explorers" a lot in naming our programs. We have Sensory Explorers - using the five senses in new ways; Fitness Explorers: using our bodies and getting in shape. The new kits will help us develop Science Explorers and Math Explorers. Summer Reading Club will bring Art Explorers and Drama Explorers. We explored the world and cultures via Passports to the World this past year. What was left? HISTORY! We'll do a monthly program on varying kinds of history!
As you can see, the possibilities can be endless once the kernal of an idea gets me going. I hope that many of you will be able to join us at this fall's PaLA Conference to get inspired at the wonderful selection of workshops and sessions we are offering this year. Please check out the schedule at http://pala.affiniscape.com/displayconvention.cfm?conventionnbr=5545 and I hope to see you all at our annual meeting too.
Let the ideas begin!
PaLA Leadership Orientation: Every year, incoming and outgoing chairs of PaLA's divisions, committees and round tables gather together to get inspired on the best way to lead others towards this fine organization. What are the missions of our prospective areas? What haven't we tried yet to get new members interested in PaLA? What do we need to do to keep members involved in PaLA? How can I get my division inspired to do new things and be more vital to the organization? I have some new ideas inspired by this gathering that I would love to discuss with all of you at our annual meeting during the PaLA Conference on Monday, November 10, at 8 am. I promise that, with enough coffee and attendees, I will try my best to inspire you to get involved along with me.
Family Place Retreat: This was awesome! On the first day, we learned about how Norfolk, Virginia libraries went above and beyond the Family Place Library concept to redesign their branches to have Kidzones - inviting and spacious areas for play and imagination to help kids grow and learn. Go to this website: http://www.npl.lib.va.us/press/press.html and scroll down to look for the Pennsylvania Family Place PowerPoint presentation on the right. You'll be amazed and inspired too.
The second speaker was from the Vermont Center for the Book and has designed programs and kits for us to use on Science and Math concepts. Each Family Place Library got a kit of 6 of these awesome kits to bring back and make use of in many fun and creative ways. We played with blocks to make a map of the room. How many meetings let you play with blocks?
Each District also received more materials to share to make the concepts more well rounded. I already have my entire next year planned out thanks to this inspiring talk and these kits. Check them out at http://bigidea.mothergooseprograms.org/. You might be inspired to do science and math based programs with your families. Make discovery centers for families to play with science and math based objects like tangram puzzles and other fun stuff.
Between the science and math kits and talking about the upcoming art and drama based summer reading club theme (Be Creative @ Your Library: http://www.cslpreads.org/2009/cp09.htm), I began to wonder just what was left of a school curriculum we were not covering at my own library. We use the word "Explorers" a lot in naming our programs. We have Sensory Explorers - using the five senses in new ways; Fitness Explorers: using our bodies and getting in shape. The new kits will help us develop Science Explorers and Math Explorers. Summer Reading Club will bring Art Explorers and Drama Explorers. We explored the world and cultures via Passports to the World this past year. What was left? HISTORY! We'll do a monthly program on varying kinds of history!
As you can see, the possibilities can be endless once the kernal of an idea gets me going. I hope that many of you will be able to join us at this fall's PaLA Conference to get inspired at the wonderful selection of workshops and sessions we are offering this year. Please check out the schedule at http://pala.affiniscape.com/displayconvention.cfm?conventionnbr=5545 and I hope to see you all at our annual meeting too.
Let the ideas begin!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Family Place Libraries Save the Date!
Please mark September 24 and 25 for the 2008 State-wide Family Place program. We will begin around 1 on Wednesday afternoon and finish with lunch on Thursday. The tentative agenda is
Wednesday afternoon join Norm Maas, Director of the Norfolk, VA Library and one of his children's librarians. They will be talking about the Kids Zones they have created in their library branches and how Family Place has helped them leverage money and clout in the early childhood arena. This would be a good program for directors to attend. The second half of the afternoon will be a make and take program for parent programs and a time for sharing.
Thursday morning join Sally Anderson, Executive Director of the Vermont Center for the Book. She will be doing a three hour training on What's the Big Idea? kits for libraries and for take home. Each Family Place Library will have access to at least one of the full librarian kits (probably going to be distributed on a county basis). Each FP library that attends the program will receive one of at least 6 of the take home kits. For more information on this program visit http://bigidea.mothergooseprograms.org/ .
I will reimburse mileage for one vehicle and provide one double room per per FP library. Breakfast and lunch on Thursday will be provided. Dinner Wednesday night will be on your own. The program will be held at the Grantville Holiday Inn.
I plan to send registration forms out in July.
Susan Pannebaker Youth Services Advisor
Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market St. Harrisburg, PA 17126-1745
v: 717-214-4047 f: 717-787-2117
spannebake@state.pa.us
Wednesday afternoon join Norm Maas, Director of the Norfolk, VA Library and one of his children's librarians. They will be talking about the Kids Zones they have created in their library branches and how Family Place has helped them leverage money and clout in the early childhood arena. This would be a good program for directors to attend. The second half of the afternoon will be a make and take program for parent programs and a time for sharing.
Thursday morning join Sally Anderson, Executive Director of the Vermont Center for the Book. She will be doing a three hour training on What's the Big Idea? kits for libraries and for take home. Each Family Place Library will have access to at least one of the full librarian kits (probably going to be distributed on a county basis). Each FP library that attends the program will receive one of at least 6 of the take home kits. For more information on this program visit http://bigidea.mothergooseprograms.org/ .
I will reimburse mileage for one vehicle and provide one double room per per FP library. Breakfast and lunch on Thursday will be provided. Dinner Wednesday night will be on your own. The program will be held at the Grantville Holiday Inn.
I plan to send registration forms out in July.
Susan Pannebaker Youth Services Advisor
Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market St. Harrisburg, PA 17126-1745
v: 717-214-4047 f: 717-787-2117
spannebake@state.pa.us
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Fundraising idea
Dear Youth Services Division Members,
In the past, people have asked about how they can be more involved in Youth Services Division. I also remember that we as a division have a hard time raising money for things like training and workshops – which is at the core of our division mission. So, I contemplated what we can all do together to solve these two issues and I came up with what I think is a really fun idea: a silent auction.
How you can be involved: think up something to donate, such as a “program in a box;” “a mini vacation in a bag;” or something, anything, that you think that will be useful or fun for a fellow librarian (remember those non-youth services folks too!). Imagination and creativity are the only limits. Package it up in a creative way that will entice someone to bid on your donation, write up a brief description and bring it with you to the PaLA Convention in November.
We will set up all of the donated items in the PaLA bookstore with bidding sheets. As folks peruse the store, they can write their bids on the sheets. At the end of the allotted time, we shall announce the winners and collect the bids – all for the Youth Services Division.
If you cannot attend the convention, but still wish to contribute, that’s great! Send items to: Denise Pulgino Stout, Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell Street, Norristown PA 19401 and I will bring it to the convention for you.
Please email back to me if you are interested in participating in this fun project. We need your contact information and the approximate idea behind your donation. I know that many of you are incredibly creative and can come up with some cool ideas that others will be interested in bidding on. I also know that your generosity is endless and we youth services folks can gather together to help our organization do some great things if we come together – while having a little fun along the way!
If you are interested in helping to set up the auction, I can use your help. Just let me know via email and you’re volunteered.
Thanks a bunch for considering this idea and I look forward to hearing from folks and feedback it will garner.
Denise Pulgino Stout
Youth Services Division Chair 2008, PaLA
In the past, people have asked about how they can be more involved in Youth Services Division. I also remember that we as a division have a hard time raising money for things like training and workshops – which is at the core of our division mission. So, I contemplated what we can all do together to solve these two issues and I came up with what I think is a really fun idea: a silent auction.
How you can be involved: think up something to donate, such as a “program in a box;” “a mini vacation in a bag;” or something, anything, that you think that will be useful or fun for a fellow librarian (remember those non-youth services folks too!). Imagination and creativity are the only limits. Package it up in a creative way that will entice someone to bid on your donation, write up a brief description and bring it with you to the PaLA Convention in November.
We will set up all of the donated items in the PaLA bookstore with bidding sheets. As folks peruse the store, they can write their bids on the sheets. At the end of the allotted time, we shall announce the winners and collect the bids – all for the Youth Services Division.
If you cannot attend the convention, but still wish to contribute, that’s great! Send items to: Denise Pulgino Stout, Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell Street, Norristown PA 19401 and I will bring it to the convention for you.
Please email back to me if you are interested in participating in this fun project. We need your contact information and the approximate idea behind your donation. I know that many of you are incredibly creative and can come up with some cool ideas that others will be interested in bidding on. I also know that your generosity is endless and we youth services folks can gather together to help our organization do some great things if we come together – while having a little fun along the way!
If you are interested in helping to set up the auction, I can use your help. Just let me know via email and you’re volunteered.
Thanks a bunch for considering this idea and I look forward to hearing from folks and feedback it will garner.
Denise Pulgino Stout
Youth Services Division Chair 2008, PaLA
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Conference Proposals Please!
Calling Youth Services People! You are all doing fabulous things, so here's your venue to share what you do!
The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is currently accepting program proposals for the PaLA Annual Conference, to be held November 9 – 12, 2008 at the Valley Forge Convention Center/Scanticon Hotel in King of Prussia. The 2008 Conference Committee, led by Carrie Turner, Director, Cheltenham Township Library System, is hard at work planning another great conference, which will offer more than 50 sessions, exhibits, meal events, tours, receptions, and more!
The deadline for proposals is April 15, 2008. Proposals can be submitted online via:
Click Here to Submit
Thank you in advance to all that submit proposals, we appreciate your dedication to PaLA and to Pennsylvania’s libraries!
The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is currently accepting program proposals for the PaLA Annual Conference, to be held November 9 – 12, 2008 at the Valley Forge Convention Center/Scanticon Hotel in King of Prussia. The 2008 Conference Committee, led by Carrie Turner, Director, Cheltenham Township Library System, is hard at work planning another great conference, which will offer more than 50 sessions, exhibits, meal events, tours, receptions, and more!
The deadline for proposals is April 15, 2008. Proposals can be submitted online via:
Click Here to Submit
Thank you in advance to all that submit proposals, we appreciate your dedication to PaLA and to Pennsylvania’s libraries!
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