Twenty-five library staff members who provide services to young people and their families are beginning a journey that will likely change them and their communities.
Library staff members from 14 of the state’s 16 regional library systems are participating in the 2017 Youth Services Development Institute from Aug. 27-30 in Trego. The group includes Mary Winter, from the Shawano City-County Library, and Rebecca Hoffman, from the Marion Public Library.
Targeted to youth services staff members who do not have a graduate degree in librarianship or who work in smaller public libraries, the institute offers participants an opportunity to develop library skills and make professional contacts within the larger library community.
The institute is led by library professionals with local, regional and statewide experience. Participants identify short-term and long-term goals focusing on professional skills and leadership during and after the institute.
Workshops during the institute will provide guidance on planning library programs that serve community needs; developing library collections; incorporating STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) into library experiences for youth and families; understanding the physical and social development of children and teens; and providing leadership in community settings.
“Strong libraries add so much to a community,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers said. “The Youth Services Development Institute has a track record of providing important training to library staff who might not otherwise have this opportunity. I commend the 2017 participants on their investment in themselves, their libraries and their communities.”
Funding for the institute is made possible through a federal Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.