WSL Updates for February 18, 2016

WSL Updates for February 18, 2016

Volume 12, February 18, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE

2) GAINING STEAM WITH LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3®

3) 2016 WASHINGTON VIRTUAL REFERENCE CONFERENCE

4) WORKING TOGETHER TO REACH THE UNDERSERVED

5) FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN LIBRARIES

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) TEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE

The Washington State Library and the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) have launched the 2016 Teen Video Challenge, a national video competition for teens to get involved with reading and their public library’s summer reading program.

Teens are invited to create a 30 to 90 second video with their unique interpretation of the 2016 summer reading slogan “Get in the Game – READ”. The idea is to involve teens in summer reading, before and during the summer months, by being part of the process. This is an opportunity for teens to showcase their creativity and have their ideas heard by a national audience. The winning video will be named one of the CSLP 2016 Teen Videos to promote summer reading nationwide.

$150 will be awarded to the creator of Washington’s winning video and their associated public library will receive prizes worth at least $50 from CSLP and Upstart. Winners will be announced by CSLP during April 2016.

For full details about the CSLP 2016 Teen Video Challenge and to find out how to enter Washington’s competition, please visit http://sos.wa.gov/q/teenvideo. Entries must be received by March 25, 2016.

Questions? Please contact Nono Burling at [email protected].

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2) GAINING STEAM WITH LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3®

Washington State Library announces Gaining STEAM workshops – a Lego Mindstorms EV3® experience. The WSL Updates editor recently attended one of these workshops. A novice in programming and robotics, she learned a lot, had a fun time, and earned chocolate! These are great workshops, so register now.

  • Gaining STEAM workshops are offered as a hands-on 6-hour robotics building and programming workshop to prepare library staff to host programs in their communities.
  • The workshops are for beginners; no previous robotics or programming experience is needed. Library staff from all types of libraries are welcome.

Gaining STEAM workshops are happening:

  • March 2 – Ritzville
  • March 3 – Spokane
  • March 4 – Spokane
  • March 14 – Richland
  • March 15 – Clarkston
  • March 17 – Moxee

So, get STEAMed. Space is limited, please register now.

Starting in May 2016, the Lego Mindstorms EV3® kits used for this training will be offered for circulation to public and tribal libraries around the state. Details on how to reserve the kits for local library programs will be announced in the spring.

Lunch will be one and one-half hours and on your own. A week before the session date for which you’ve registered, you will receive an email with nearby restaurant suggestions.

Our goal is to provide useful and fun Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) training for library staff throughout the state. Gaining STEAM is an outreach program provided by the Washington State Library in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). It provides another tool to enrich Washington State communities through the libraries that serve them.

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3) 2016 WASHINGTON VIRTUAL REFERENCE CONFERENCE

  • Does your library provide virtual reference service?
  • Have you wondered if virtual reference might be a good fit for your patrons?
  • Is your library already a member of Ask WA (Washington’s 24/7 virtual reference cooperative)?

If you said yes to any of the questions above, this free, one-day conference is for you.

Washington State Library is sponsoring Washington’s first conference on the topic of virtual reference. We’ve lined up a great keynote speaker, Aaron Schmidt.

Please register to attend Friday, March 18, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Highline College Campus, in Des Moines, Washington.

If you have questions, please contact Nono Burling at [email protected].

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4) WORKING TOGETHER TO REACH THE UNDERSERVED

Partnering with Community Organizations to Reach the Underserved presented by Danielle Duvall, King County Library System and Summer Hayes, Seattle Public Library.

Join us on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. PST

  • Building relationships with other organizations which serve the public has a range of benefits from gaining community knowledge to increasing opportunities for programming and outreach.
  • This free First Tuesdays webinar will discuss the importance of partnerships between libraries and other community organizations including after-school program providers, mental health providers, shelters, city parks, and recreation departments.
  • Attendees will learn how to select partner organizations, initiate contact, articulate goals when creating partnerships, and identify the advantages of different types of relationships.

Instructions and Login for First Tuesdays session

First Tuesdays is a continuing education opportunity provided by the Washington State Library.

Questions? Please contact Carolyn Petersen at [email protected] or 360-570-5560.

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5) FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN LIBRARIES

Family engagement is important from birth through young adulthood and it happens everywhere children learn – including the library. For families, family engagement is about knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviors that enable children to be motivated, enthusiastic, and successful learners. For libraries, family engagement entails respectful partnerships that offer information, guidance, and opportunities that help families to be active in children’s learning and development.

The Public Library Association and Harvard Family Research Project are collaborating on a new project that will explore family engagement in children’s learning through libraries. As a part of this project, they are asking that directors of public library systems, as well those who oversee local branches, complete a brief survey, consulting with librarians and staff as needed.

  • To take the survey, please visit here.
  • Responses must be submitted by February 26, 2016. The results will be made available during the summer of 2016.

Please contact Harvard Family Research Project at [email protected] with any questions about the survey or the project.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

February 22

February 23

February 24

February 25

February 26

  • The Internet of Things (Texas State Library and Archives Commission); 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. PST
  • Big Talk From Small Libraries (Nebraska Library Commission); 6:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. PST
  • Helping Homeschoolers (Colorado State Library); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST

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For more information and to register (unless otherwise linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at sos.wa.gov/q/training.

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