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Children’s Services

Summer Library Program Planning Resources
Storytime & Early Literacy
  • Storytime Solidarity: a new resource for books, activities, songs, rhymes, crafts, resources…
  • Storytime Katie: Blog
    • This blog created by Katie, an Early Literacy Librarian, includes storytime plans with books, props, songs, and reviews on topics. Stumped on a good book or song for a topic? This blog’s for you!
  • Jbrary: Blog
    • Lindsey and Dana, two children’s librarians created Jbrary as a class project for one of our MLIS courses, and has since grown into a blog and YouTube channel we use to participate in the virtual youth services world.
  • Sowing Seeds Librarian: Blog
    • Storytime Lesson Plans! Because, why should we all have to write our own week after week when we can share good ideas!
  • ALSC Association for Library Service to Children (ALA): Blog
    • The ALSC is a section from ALA dedicated you children’s services. Their blog is amazing and provides resources and tips to be used right away and also discussions of larger youth services topics.
  • Youth Services Information Exchange: WVLS Facebook Page
    • A place to share programming ideas and support for WVLS member libraries. Feel free to share resources, photos, files, etc.
  • YSS Youth Services Section, WLA: Resources and YSS BLOG
    • The Wisconsin Library Association’s Youth Services Section provides a forum and resource for people in Wisconsin’s libraries who share a commitment to serving children and young adults, their parents, caregivers, and teachers.
  • Cooperative Children’s Book Center: Resources
    • A unique and vital gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children’s and young adult literature.
  • Pinterest: Blog/Social Media
    • Find songs, activities, crafts and more!
  • Storyline Online: Website
    • Famous people narrating animated read alouds. Beloved actors who know how to bring stories to life.
  • Read Aloud 15 Minutes: awesome ready-to-use images and flyers.
  • Saroj Ghoting: Early Childhood Literacy Consultant
    • Saroj Ghoting is an Early Childhood Literacy Consultant and national trainer on early literacy. She presents early literacy training and information sessions at national, regional, and state conferences, and training for library staff and their partners. Her website features resources for early literacy research, storytime, handouts and activities, summer reading, videos, and hosts a storytime brainstorming page.
  • SurLaLune: Blog
    • With a focus on Fairy Tales, this blog includes posts about current events (Banned Books Week), book reviews, and books gathered by topics.
  • Every Child Ready to Read – Toolkit for Serving Early Childhood Educators
    • This toolkit aims to offer a better understanding of what is means to pattern, train, and facilitate learning with early childhood educators whose students are growing in independence and ability as they approach school entry.
  • New York Public Library: Storytime Strategies for Children’s Specialists in Public Library Settings: self-paced module.
Materials Challenges

Questions or concerns? Please call or email Anne Hamland at ahamland@wvls.org 715-261-7255

I will provide personalized information and coaching.

See also refer to these resources:

Book & Media Lists
Associations and Blogs
2020 School Libraries Panel

"Realities of and Relationships with School Librarians: A Panel"

Watch the recording!

Three public school librarians will gave a brief tour of their space(s) and described the realities of working in public school libraries: duties, schedules, challenges and accomplishments.

What Kind Of Collaborator Are You?

What Kind Of Collaborator Are You? Call or email Anne Hamland ahamland@wvls.org or 715-492-2114

  • Do you communicate regularly with your K-12 librarians? Call your school offices and ask to introduce yourself.
  • Do you support K-12 librarians and teachers during the school year?
  • Do you have a list of K-12 Teacher emails that you could use for announcements and feedback?
  • Do you send Summer Reading Program information to K-12 librarians well in advance (February)?
  • Do you set up a library booth at parent teacher conferences or open houses?

Youth Services Workshops

2020 School Librarian Panel Virtual Workshop

“Realities of and Relationships with School Librarians: A Panel”

Watch the recording!

Three public school librarians will gave a brief tour of their space(s) and described the realities of working in public school libraries: duties, schedules, challenges and accomplishments.

Anna Julson (Bridges Virtual Academy, Merrill) slides

Michele Green (Greenwood) slides

Paula Norman (Tomahawk) slides

What Kind of Collaborator Are You? see the full details on the WI Libraries for Everyone Blog

2019 SuperStorytimes Workshop
2019 Madison Public Library - The Bubbler
2018 STEAM in Youth Services Workshop

Attendees learned how to create high-interest STEAM programs on a low-to-no budget, tackle local STEAM grant writing, test out virtual/augmented reality, the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten App, passive coding activities, AND tried an Hour of Code!

Emily Zorea, Youth Services Librarian of the Brewer Public Library in Richland Center, kick-offed the day with “Engaging Families, Youth, and Teens around STEAM and Thematic Programming.” Julie Kinney, Teen Librarian for Marathon County Public Library, and Tammie Blomberg, Director of the Rib Lake Public Library, led the group through the Hour of Code and talked about bringing coding concepts to teen and adult library users.

Find more from Emily at her Sowing Seeds Librarian blog.

Attendees participated in passive coding activities and left with inspiration and coding lesson plans in hand! Activities and lesson plans courtesy of Linda Liukas, author of the Hello Ruby book series. The Hello Ruby series written for children is a “whimsical way to learn about technology, computing and coding.”

Inclusive Services Resources

 If you are looking for information on Inclusive Services, check out the page dedicated to it on our website. 

What does it mean to be inclusive?  Wisconsin public libraries are places where everyone should be safe, welcomed, and respected in experiences such as arrivals in our buildings, getting library cards, using a computer and paying fines. 

All Together Now - Children's

Summer Program Templates & Tools

All Together Now! 

Use these images and templates as you wish. Facebook banners, social media posts, you name it!

Major thanks goes to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction for a statewide membership to the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). Find the complete manual on the CSLP website.

Beanstack DL Banner

Beanstack Resource!

Check out this wonderful instruction handout for Beanstack for library users courtesy of the Demmer (Three Lakes) Youth Services Team!

Notice librarians can manually enter participation for users!

antigo story walk

WVLS StoryWalk® Library

From book choice to mounting methods, permissions to assessment. Connect with other libraries to exchange ready-to-use StoryWalk® books.

All of the information you need for a successful experience is in there AND names of experienced librarians throughout WVLS libraries too!

Twenty librarians from WVLS, IFLS, and NWLS serving youth contributed ideas and resources to the WVLS StoryWalk® Library via a WVLS youth services meeting on December 15, 2020.

Rib Lake Public Library Youth Space

New spaces!

Watch as Krista Blomberg (Rib Lake Public Library) and Annette Miller (Tomahawk Public Library) present their newly remodeled youth spaces.

These projects were made possible by the WVLS Innovation and Collaboration Literacy Grant.

Wisconsin Valley Library Service
300 N 1st Street
Wausau, WI 54403
715-261-7250