PLA Notes

I confess I couldn't find or recall my login and password information, so this most excellent blog has languished. Alas.

Now that I'm back, here are my notes from the Public Library Association sessions I attended on the one day I was there. I haven't been to a Librarian's convention since way back when. I was impressed by how many really great sounding choices there were on all of the days, and I regret I could just go the one day. Every one of my choices was valuable and downright inspiring. Not included in these notes is the author luncheon with Arthur and Pauline Frommer. They sort of tag teamed the presentation, talking about travel trends and recommended places to go. They were very entertaining, informative and accessible.

My other short notes:

PLA Conference Thursday March 27th 2008

Running the one woman show: successful adult programming when you have a million things to do

Her main points were:

Commit from the managers on down to providing programming. This assures time, resources and other levels of support that are necessary.

Have one program per month

Write grants so you have proper funding

Make programming a priority

Explore the community for inspiration for programs

Do intergenerational programming whenever possible


Technozoo
These new technologies were demonstrated:

Joost (Commercial television via the net)

Skype (audio and video for conference calling. Virtual meetings)

iPhone (touch interface, audio and video capable, recognizes wireless networks

Microsoft Surface (large flat surface with touch screen display.)

Sony eReader and Kindle (readers of E Books)

Game Consoles (called game counsels in the program listing, tsk. The Wii, Playstation3, Xbox 360, Playstation Portable and DS Lite were discussed)

The overall tip from this lecture: “Be as functional online as you are offline”


Sexy Senior Programming @ your library

This session was packed with information. Very inspiring. Here are some of the ideas:

Start a collection of resources for people who work with and live with older adults
Do intergenerational programming, having teens assist with the programs whenever possible

Family battle of the Books: collaborate with schools, focus on third and fourth graders, give 2 months to read 3 or 4 books, then have a quiz show, have families wear “team tshirts” the families really got creative with those tshirts and were very enthusiastic.

Grandparents Day programming: actually they said do more than Grandparents day programs, but we have not even thought to do that much so, great idea.

Have film discussion group for 50+: Show film, snack and discuss. They said to do after hours but I think during the day over lunch, maybe even do a brown bag lunch would be the way to go.

Adopt a grandparent storytime: Pretty sure they took this to a nursing home, having kids “adopt” for the day a “grandparent” from the nursing home, and they read to the resident one on one.

Book Babies field trip: really successful, they did a storytime once a month at a long term care facility. Moms and their babies came to the facility to hear the storytime, and the residents listened to the storytime, enjoyed the fingerplays and stories, and especially they loved seeing the babies.

Prime Time Readers: a summer program for middle and high school students. Six week series, individual weekly readings, kids read a chapter from a book, old time radio scripts worked great. After the reading, activities, such as sharing things they collect, Bingo (kids help the seniors find their spots on the bingo slate), heroes theme, US Presidents theme with trivia quiz.

New Tech Mornings for seniors introducing them to new technologies such as the Wii or Vblogging.

Laughter Club
Once per month
Breathing, stretching, talking about good living, laughter exercises done in a group setting. See more at www.worldlaughtertour.com

Author Reader’s Theater
Avi, Pam Munoz Ryan, Sarah Weeks and Brian Selznick performing sections from their works. Adapted scripts, very much performed and theatrical. It really reminded me of an old radio show performed live. I’m suggesting we do something like this for staff day. It seems to me that usually this is done with childrens books but the authors emphasized you look in a book for a section with high drama and lots of dialogue, and I don’t see why we can’t do it with adult books as well.