2024 WVLS Youth Services Workshop
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
TB Scott Free Library in Merrill, 106 W 1st Street
Continuing education contact hours: 4.5
Register by Tuesday, September 17
Attendees will:
- Explore a variety of puppetry styles through demonstrations and hands-on experiences.
- Delve into artificial intelligence (AI) and explore possible applications in programming.
- Understand what the Science of Reading is, what it is not, and how librarians can create collections and programs to support it.
- Get a jump start on your summer 2025 programming with a brainstorming session.
Agenda:
9 – 9:30 a.m.: Coffee & conversation
9:30 – 10a.m.: Welcome & Introductions and Tour of TB Scott Free Library by Andrea Bennett
10 – 11 a.m. Puppet Workshop by Pam Corcoran
11 -11:15 a.m.: Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Plan Your Next Program with AI by Kristie Hauer
12:15 – 1 p.m.: Lunch. (provided by WVLS). Auntie Ray’s wrap or salad; assorted chips; assorted soda; water
1 – 2 p.m.: Science-based Reading by Mary Newton
2 – 2:15 p.m.: Break
2:15 – 2:50 p.m.: Summer 2025 Brainstorming
2:50 – 3 p.m.: Wrap-Up
Need accommodation? Contact Kristie Hauer at
FEATURED SESSIONS and PRESENTERS:
Pam Corcoran. Since 1983, Pam has been bringing stories to life with her original needle-felted puppets and puppet shows, featuring literacy, health, and nature topics. Pam offers puppet shows, hands-on workshops, and residencies at museums, schools, art festivals, and libraries. In this workshop, participants will experience demonstrations and hands-on opportunities with a variety of puppetry styles to build exposure and confidence in using puppets. Pam is from the Stevens Point area.
Mary Newton. Mary has worked in the field of literacy for 24 years, as a tutor of dyslexia children, trainer of tutors, professional development provider, and advocate for evidence-aligned reading instruction. She retired as the Associate Director of the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Milwaukee in 2018 and became the founding president of The Reading League Wisconsin the following year. She is a Certified Academic Language Practitioner and Instructor as well as a Certified Dyslexia and Structured Literacy Interventionist. Mary is passionate about public libraries and served on the Board of Trustees of the Wauwatosa Public Library for many years.
Kristie Hauer is the public library services consultant at Wisconsin Valley Library Service. She’s been working in libraries since 1999, the first five in elementary school libraries and the rest in public libraries. Kristie’s vast experiences and knowledge stem from holding the positions of library assistant, children’s department supervisor, branch manager, and director. Kristie earned her BA in English and Humanistic Studies from UW-Green Bay and MLIS from UW-Milwaukee.