Vote for the Conversations You Want to Have at ALA Annual

One of my favorite things about going to conferences is the opportunity to have lots of conversations with my colleagues about topics that are relevant to librarianship as I know it. That's one reason why I am glad that ALA Annual offers Conversation Starters and Ignite Sessions--less formal sessions than the conference programs, but still great content that packs a punch. Better yet, regular ALA members like you and me get to have a say in which of these sessions that will take place at the conference.

Through March 31, ALA members can view the Conversation Starters and Ignite Session proposals, then vote for the ones they'd most like to see take place in Chicago this summer. I've voted for the sessions that speak to me, and I hope you'll consider doing the same. I also hope you'll consider voting for the two Conversation Starters I'm a part of. I'll share the details below, and if the topic sounds interesting to you, I sure hope you'll give our sessions the thumbs up.


Thinking Outside the Storytime Box: Building Your Preschool Programming Repertoire
Panel: 2013 Mover & Shaker Melissa Depper, Marge Loch-Wouters, Amy Commers, and Amy Koester
Description: STEM for preschoolers! Dance parties for toddlers! When we stretch beyond storytime, our youngest patrons benefit from richer learning experiences, their parents and caregivers engage with the library in fresh ways, and staff become motivated by new, creative challenges. Jump out of the storytime box and explore active and passive early-childhood programs that are easy to plan and repeat, maximize your staff resources, and enable you to reach more young families. Our panel will share program ideas, planning resources, and early literacy connections to help you leave prepared to build on the core storytime experience.
*Check out our Preschool Plus Programming board on Pinterest!


Unprogramming: Recipes for School-Age Program Success
Panel: Marge Loch-Wouters and Amy Koester
Description: Do you find yourself spending tons of time planning school-age programs that are over in the blink of an eye? Are you ready to challenge yourself to be more efficient with your staff time and department's resources? Discover how to streamline planning and preparation while offering worthwhile literacy-centered programs--where kids help shape the direction of the program! Panelists will share tips for "unprogramming" at your library as well as ideas for helping staff adapt to this new style. Prepare to leave with a myriad of program ideas and resources for unprogramming on your own.
*Check out our Unprogramming at the Library board on Pinterest!