Two weeks ago quite a few Youth Services librarians from around the county joined in on a Zoom meeting to discuss READsquared and plans for summer reading.  Some great points were addressed, and while it seems that most libraries have not made the full dive into planning out summer reading, quite a few of you have been using this time to get a jump on acquainting yourselves with READsquared.  This time has challenged us to be creative with online resources and programming, and the monthly call will hopefully serve as a way to foster a collaborative mindset as we move forward with our services.

• Many of our libraries have been getting creative with their online programming:
  • Cooking clubs, knitting groups, book groups, film clubs, and more have all transitioned to meeting online through video conferencing. Many of these programs leverage the online services available to library patrons, such as Kanopy.
  • Meditation, yoga, and social groups are helping patrons stay active (and sane!) while confined to their homes.
  • You’ve probably already heard of all the online storytimes and live performances libraries have been using to keep patrons engaged.
• READsquared is available for free to all public libraries in New York State, but access to the app involves a one-time charge of $100.
  • Libraries can already join and use READsquared by filling out the form located at http://www.readsquared.com/ny.
  • Technical questions can be addressed by emailing support@r2stg.zohosupport.com
  • Non-technical questions can be addressed by contacting Sharon Phillips, Library Development Specialist, Youth Services, New York State Library, at 518-486-4863 or Sharon.Phillips@nysed.gov.
• The general consensus was that most libraries had not started planning for all-online summer reading programs, especially with the uncertainty about re-opening dates and how programming will work in the coming months.
  • Some early efforts were understandably overshadowed by all the other turbulence surrounding school closures.
• There were a few questions about how to set up the 1,000 books program, and how to make changes to one age group without those changes taking effect across the board.
  • Some of these issues can be figured out with a little bit of tinkering in the Admin panel, but READsquared tech support can help if you are stuck (support@r2stg.zohosupport.com) 
  • You can find recorded webinars on the NY Summer Reading site: http://www.summerreadingnys.org/readsquared/
• A few attendees had struggled with juggling a single READsquared account between multiple staff.
  • It was brought to our attention that the Admin panel of READsquared allows for the addition of other users who can still edit programs and incentives.
• The Rye Free Reading Room had made use of READsquared’s “missions” feature this past winter, creating a customized series of themed tasks that participants could complete.
  • While there was a lot of work and creativity involved, the benefits of missions include a much more personalized experience than typical achievement badges and the ability to create missions for STEM activities and other art challenges in addition to reading.

The Quick Facts are now posted to the Summer Reading page. All those who participated in the Summer Reading survey should have received a pdf of their responses. If you did not, please contact outreach@wlsmail.org.

Early Learning Spaces

Renee McGrath, Manager of Youth Services for the Nassau Library System, gave an excellent program on the importance of creating inviting and engaging learning spaces in our libraries for our youngest readers!

Check out the power-point and handouts from the meeting:

• Early Learning Spaces Power Point Presentation
• Ready to Read at New York Libraries
• Vendor Resources
• Funding for Early Learning Spaces
• Creating Early Learning Spaces – Design Principles
• Elements for Open-Ended Play 
• Libraries, Leaders, & Parent Engagement
• Recent Articles about PLAY
• Smart play spots
• Sample Activity Sheet

A great blog recommended by Renee McGrath to use for design inspiration!: Pop Goes the Blog

A BIG thank you to everyone fore submitting their summer reading surveys. PDFs of your responses will be emailed in early October.

Check out their video at http://www.summerreadingnys.org/2018-teen-video-challenge-winner-new-york-state-and-cslp/

This annual video competition encouraged New York State teens to create and submit a short video based on the yearly slogan to help promote libraries and the Summer Reading program. This year’s slogan is Libraries Rock!

CONGRATULATIONS LARCHMONT!!!

See what’s planned for 2018! View the list of events here.

See the WLS Evanced calendar for scheduled meetings.

Sessions start at 9:00 and run until 11:30 or 12.  Meetings are held at WLS unless indicated otherwise.  View the Evanced entry for confirmed times , new additions to the calendar, and to register for each event.

Hi Everyone!

The 2018 CSLP “Libraries Rock!” Summer Reading catalog was sent out in the mail. For those of you who’d like another peak, click here for the pdf of the scanned catalog!

At this 6/20/17 session two organizations shared information on exams and how they advise students and parents.  (See materials linked here from Eduscape 2017 and The Learning Miracle 2017.)  Additionally, Elena Falcone reviewed the guidance found on FirstFind.org, with a focus on critical thinking and research outlined in Find-Best-Colleges-for-You.