Georgia Libraries Conference Update Part III

Submitted by Jeff Fisher

The week of Staff Day, several FCPL staff were able to attend the Georgia Libraries Conference, held in Macon. Over the course of several blog posts, the staff who were at the conference will provide information related to the sessions they were able to attend. This blog series continues with summaries of the sessions attended by Amy Szvetecz and Kayla Bolton, Youth Services Supervisors at Post Road and Hampton Park.

Present in the Past: Working with Public Schools to Teach Civil Rights History
Presented by Josh Beasley and Ronald Gauthier - Gwinnett County Public Library
Attended by Amy Szvetecz
Summary:

• Discussed partnership between Gwinnett County Public Library (GCPL) and Gwinnett County Schools (GCS)
• Used Library of Congress (LOC) primary sources to teach history of Civil Rights and voting rights to 8th graders to Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) standards.
• GCPL received a rare LOC grant (usually given to academic libraries and public schools) to create curriculum
• GPLS and GPS worked closely together for a year to design curriculum for the five AKS standard content areas.
• Librarians went in to the schools to teach using LOC primary sources such as audio recordings, political cartoons, videos, and more
• Librarians led hands-on, interactive activities which allowed students to work individually or in groups to explore primary sources and connect them with current events.
• Important to get school/teacher buy-in. Must present these types of programs as time-saving for schools rather than adding additional work.

Read Like a Peach
Presented by Kayla Bolton - Forsyth County Public Library
Attended by Amy Szvetecz
Summary:

• Discussed criteria/process for selecting books for the award
• Explained composition of the nominating committee
• Encouraged participants to consider applying to be on the nominating committee and explained time commitments to do so
• Shared current Peach titles including a description of each one.
• Since the award is decided by teen readers, learned about the importance of promoting the program, titles, and process to teens in the library and at local schools.

Managing Community Partnerships with Limited Resources
Presented by Kathleen Salkeld - Lafayette Walker County Public Library and Sarah Rapier - Rossville Public Library
Attended by Amy Szvetecz
Summary:

• Staffing needs and budget constraints can affect achieving outreach goals. Consider using adult or teen volunteers to meet needs.
• Effective outreach can change perceptions of the library not having much value in the community
• In good community  partnerships, both sides get something of value. If trying to reach new people/groups/community partners, ask what they will get out of the partnership
• Utilize groups such as 4H or UGA free programs(nutrition for example) to extend reach
• Farm Bureau has traveling trunks they can send out.  Summer idea?
• Utilize community partners to help promote programs/partnerships. Example - send school art teachers flyers about upcoming programs. Maybe enlist their help in creating promotional materials… library gets help and students get experience and tangible items for resume building.
• Work on extending existing partnerships as well as cultivating new ones

Take 5: Extending the Scope of Library Outreach Programs
Presented by Ben Bryson, Geri Lynn Mullis, and Diana Graham  - Glynn Libraries
Attended by Amy Szvetecz
Summary:

• Take 5 project gets take-home bags into the hands of pre-K students
• Bag contents focus on the five early literacy practices - read, talk, sing, play, write
• 5 bags were sent home for 5 consecutive weeks.  Each bag coincided with one of the early literacy practices
• Bags contained books, manipulatives, and guides designed to introduce parents/caregivers to reading readiness practices
• An IMLS ARPA grant and private donation were needed to fund this program
• Initially targeted to FACES, a public pre-K program for low income students (200 students).  The following year they hit all public pre-k’s in the system (500 students). The next year they added private daycares and Head Start programs (1100 students).
• Lots of logistical/storage/implementation details to consider.
• Amy note - some kind of program to reach newborns and their families? First library card, early literacy information, new book?

Stalkers, Pedophiles, and Perverts: When Patrons Interactions Go Wrong
Presented by Bel Outwater  - Piedmont Regional Library System
Attended by Amy Szvetecz
Summary:

• Discussed the importance of documentation. “Does this create an unsafe environment for patrons or library staff?” If yes, document! The more information you have about inappropriate patron behavior, the easier it will be to handle
• Importance of having good relationships with local police. If in doubt, always call.  If you think, “Should I call?”  then call.
• Often a problem patron is know to local police which can expedite removing them
• Listen to your instincts. If something seems off, it probably is.
• Safety in numbers - use the buddy system
• Don’t allow yourself to get backed into a corner, or isolated from coworkers.
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Approach difficult patrons calmly, trying to de-escalate. If worried though, call the police to handle.
• Try to keep your cell phone at all times. Makes it easier to call for help if away from the desk.

Dismantling the Silos: Access Services and Technical Services Work Together to Support Student Assistants
Presented by Rebecca Hunnicutt and Jessica Garner - Georgia Southern University
Attended by Kayla Bolton
Summary:

• This presentation was centered around student workers in academic libraries, but had several practical applications we could use for VolunTEENs, including:
• Mandatory Brain Break with puzzles, coloring books, etc.
• Re-affirming the whole library as a team working together towards a common goal
• Acknowledging the “whole person” viewpoint of teens
• Surveying teens after the summer

Escape Rooms 101 or How to Escape the Space
Presented by Gretchen Elm - Athens-Clarke County Library
Attended by Kayla Bolton
Summary:

• Before the Program:
• Play to staff members’ strengths
• Consider decor/furniture
• Find an overall theme and goal
• Schedule plenty of time to set up room beforehand
• During the Program
• Have extra supplies at the ready
• Be flexible when giving clues
• Have a waiting area
• After the Program
• Survey participants
• Take pictures that include the library’s logo

Building Community with Family Folk Dancing at Your Library
Presented by Evan Bush - GPLS
Attended by Kayla Bolton
Summary:

• Recommended for ages 5 and up, most likely as a family program
• Works best as an hour long program, teaching 3 dances total and ending with the group’s favorite dance
• It’s best to have 20 or more attendees
• Using the term “take hands” instead of “hold hands” helps break the stigma for kids
• Dances were from Alabama Gal using the New England Dance Masters collection:
• “Sasha Folk Dance”
• “Heel & Toe Polka”
• “Highland Gates”
• “Chimes of Dunkirk”
• “Kings & Queens”

Possibilities for All Abilities: Best Practices for Inclusive Programs and Services
Presented by Gina Martin - Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled; Renate Elliot - Cobb County Public Library; Kristina Clement - Kennesaw State University; Angela Moore - Gwinnett County Public Library; Amy Szvetecz - Forsyth County Public Library; Andrew Johnson - University of Georgia
Attended by Kayla Bolton
Summary:

• Renate Elliot - Cobb County Public Library
• Accessibility Services Department offers several programs, including:
• Sensory Friendly Movie
• Sensory Storytime
• Inclusive Crafting Program
• Sensory Hour
• STEM programs focused on assistive technology
• Kristina Clement - Kennesaw State University
• Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth (AILSG) offers work internships in the library system
• Helps students with independent career skills
• Students of (AILSG) are able to lend their perspective on KSU’s inclusivity and accessibility
• Angela Moore - Gwinnett County Public Library
• Online book clubs geared towards older teens and adults
• Book clubs meet once a week for 6-10 weeks
• Group reads aloud together
• Many in the group have stayed in the club since it first started in January of 2020
• Amy Szvetecz - Forsyth County Public Library
• A Show of Hands - An ASL Storytime
• Presented by an educator and school interpreter
• 15 minutes of free play, 30 minutes of picture book walks, learning signs, reading stories, 15 minutes of community play
• Also gives caregivers the opportunity to share resources amongst themselves
• Andrew Johnson - University of Georgia
• Destination Dawgs Program
• Internship for students with intellectual disabilities
• Allows students to engage with technology, makerspaces, and the UGA library system
• Mentors are paired with Destination Dawgs in order to create common ground for learning new technology