Designed expressly for library staff serving children and teens, the Joint Youth Services Retreat on August 29th and 30th is a time to spend a a bit of time connecting with and learning from fellow colleagues in a beautiful setting. You can register here, and below is further information about the schedule and fees. Think about joining us at Camp Carol Joy Holling near Ashland!
Wednesday (August 28). Option of evening arrival.
Thursday (August 29)
8:30 Sign-in
9:00-10:50 Collaborate2Create with Dr. Lisa Smith
Gathering from her experiences in education and mental health & wellness, Lisa Smith has designed a series of explorations into the habits that foster creative community and cultivate growth mindset. A seasoned group motivator, Lisa anticipates that engaging with these ideas while in community will feed your collaborative spirit and add depth to your retreat experience.
11:00- 11:50 Fantastic New Reads for Children with Aura Sewell
Discover a treasure trove of enchanting new books that could be the perfect addition to your library’s collection. These gems are also ideal for eye-catching displays and captivating story times.
12:00 Lunch
1:15-2:05 Programs & How I Plan ‘Em with Liz Hittle
Despite its very small size, the Snyder Public Library is a busy and bustlin’ place! How is that, may you ask? Why, because Liz the Librarian is constantly running all kinds of programs for patrons to do! Attend her session to hear about all of her different kinds of programs, how she plans them, and tips and tricks she has for different age groups!
2:15-3:05 “Booktalk” Your Favorites (But Not Books).
This session allows you to inspire others by sharing successful programs, fun crafts, helpful websites, or any other exciting finds or experiences from the past year. Each person gets around 5 minutes to “booktalk” their favorite, though the time may vary depending on the number of presenters. The goal is to provide each other with fresh ideas.
3:15-4:05 Board Games IRL with Elaine Bleisch
Board games have seen a resurgence in popularity in the last few years and libraries are jumping on the trend by starting board game clubs, having board games available to play in the library, and even circulating board games. We have taken the trend a step further by offering live-action board game events, played on life-sized boards, with the players themselves as the tokens. These games are surprisingly simple to set up and run and are easily adaptable to most library spaces. They are also adaptable for different age groups or for families. Walk through the creation and execution of three board games: Monopoly, Candyland, and Jumanji and learn how they can be adapted for various audiences and spaces.
4:10 Lending Non-Traditional Material – Is it worth the aggravation? with Denise Harders
Experience Kits are one way to loan non-traditional material. Each kit contains everything a patron needs to try something new and complete a project. These versatile kits can be circulated or used as passive programming in the library.
4:20-5:50 Activities and/or Downtime
6:00-7:00 Supper
7:00-10:00 Activities and/or Downtime
Friday (August 30)
8:30 Sign-in (for Friday-only participants)
9:00-9:50 Title: “Great New Books for Teens” with Kris Cram
This presentation will include brief book talks about a variety of recently published young adult titles including graphic novels and crossover reads that could interest both teens and adults. Several ways to promote your teen collection will also be discussed.
10:00-10:30 Dream Chasing with Brody Kelley.
A Nebraska author describes how he took a leap of faith and accomplished a dream he’s had since he was in the second grade.
10:40-11:50 Tapping into Collective Wisdom.
In this session, we’ll exchange perspectives on tackling challenging situations. As part of your registration, you’ll submit a problem you’re facing at your library. Systems staff will categorize these into broad topics. At the retreat, we’ll form small groups where you’ll briefly present your issue and receive feedback from your peers. Finally, each group will share some fresh ideas and new approaches with the large group.
If you desire to continue the discussion with your group at lunch, feel free to do so!
12:00 Lunch
1:15-1:40 Grant Applications…Are Too Much! Some Tips for Success with Sally Snyder
How to help ensure your grant application gets the hearing it deserves.
1:50-2:40 Family and Community Programming- Major Successes & Epic Fails with Jennifer Norton & Rossy Casanova
Family programs are a staple at the Lexington Public Library. Join us as we describe program themes, community partnerships, and program staffing. We are excited to share some of our great successes along with some epic fails.
2:45-3:15 Time to finish evaluations & say farewell!
Please let us know if you need accommodations of any kind or have any concerns.
Fees:*
Both days, includes 4 meals and single occupancy room – $180
Both days, includes 4 meals and double occupancy room – $155
Both days, no overnight, includes lunch both days – $115
Thursday only, includes lunch – $60
Friday only, includes lunch – $55
Earlier arrival on Wednesday night – $90
*Please note that each system awards scholarships for Continuing Education. For details, contact or email your system director. The information may also be on the system web site.