Youth & Family Engagement @ your library APLA May 2012 Beth Maddigan & Susan Bloos

1. Community Chest Community Chest Youth & Family Engagement @ your library APLA May 2012 Beth Maddigan & Susan Bloos

2. Communities, Libraries & Youth • Over the next hour you will • learn about contemporary practices in community programming • review strategies for community mapping and program design • hear how several Ontario libraries are engaging youth in their communities

3. Communities, Libraries & Youth • Libraries are changing the way they interact within their communities. • Why? • to maintain / improve relevance • genuine engagement leads to regular involvement • inclusive communities can be a catalyst to social change

4. Research & Established Practice Youth have an important role to play Every Child Ready to Read (now on the 2nd edition) has changed established practices for library programming Community-led Libraries Toolkitgives us a roadmap for re-establishing the library’s role in the community Initiatives like Imagineaction and organizations like ABC Life Literacy Canada and the i2i Intergenerational Society are catalysts to inclusion and social change

5. Community Program Benchmarks In-house, outside, or virtual Engaged youth and/or families Support network elders, parents, caregivers, teachers, mentors Local community involvement Accessibility cultural, physical, financial Collaboration to mutual benefit Literacy connection read, write, talk, sing, play! Innovative, unique, value-added

6. Community Program Model Create Deliver Learn Assess Refine Reflect

7. Community Mapping • Community Mapping • is a valuable way to gather resource information about your community • The information is used to • understand and enhance relationships, and • design and develop relevant programs.

8. Community Mapping Mapping Methods Neighourbood walkget out, look around, drop-in and make connections Community assets CLL Toolkit : Inventory of organized, formal groups Relationship building target specific people, start with your own staff’s interests, activities, and family connections Social mapping CLL Toolkit : informal aspects of community identity - community leaders, gathering spaces, shops, cafes

9. Community Mapping • Describe YOUR community in terms of • social and economic factors • lifestyles and interests • groups and affiliations • agencies and services • changes occurring Excerpted from Madziak, A. M., & Southern Ontario Library Service. (2007). Creating the future you've imagined : A guide to essential planning. Toronto, ON: Southern Ontario Library Service.

10. Communities, Libraries & Youth • Community-engagement programming for youth will • Engage • Inspire • Inform • Delight

11. Forest Heights Community Library • One of 5 KPL locations • Surroundings: • City pool • High School (FHCI) • Mall with small bus terminal • Fischer Park with sports fields, tennis courts, baseball diamond, track • Community Centre • Fire Hall • 3 Retirement Residences • Busy street close to highway

12. Altered Books Partnership between Forest Heights Community Library & Grade 12 Visual Arts Students of Forest Heights Collegiate Institute

13. Altered Books Grade 12 visual arts students create sculptures out of discarded books. The art pieces are then exhibited at the public library to highlight freedom to read week.

14. Altered Books

15. Altered Books

16. Altered Books • Program Objectives • Increase awareness of intellectual freedom • Encourage students to express their thoughts about censorship or express their personal response to literature through an art form • Introduce sculpting techniques and materials • Provide a public forum in which to exhibit student art • Draw people into the public library to view the exhibit • Increase awareness or circulation of challenged materials

17. Valentine’s Day Card Factory Partnership between Forest Heights Community Library, Girl Guides of Canada, and Local retirement residences

18. Valentine’s Day Card Factory Library programmer works with Girl Guide groups to create Valentine’s Day cards that are delivered to seniors in retirement residences where an intergenerational storytime and sing-along is held.

19. Valentine’s Day Card Factory • Program Objectives • Provide an opportunity for different generations to share an experience through storytime • Help Guides earn their community service badge • Celebrate a special day with adults who can sometimes feel isolated

20. “Podcasters Wanted” Teen Reviewers Submitted by Vivien Hogg Youth Services Librarian Vaughan Public Libraries Ontario, Canada Teens create book review podcasts that are posted on the library website Vaughan Public Library Teen Vortex http://www.vaughanpl.info/vortex Sample Podcast

21. “Podcasters Wanted” Teen Reviewers Submitted by Vivien Hogg Youth Services Librarian Vaughan Public Libraries Ontario, Canada Interested in Teen Podcasting? Check out the ALA Tech Guide: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/teentechweek/ttw08/resourcesabcd/techguide_podcst.pdf

22. “Podcasters Wanted” Teen Reviewers Submitted by Vivien Hogg Youth Services Librarian Vaughan Public Libraries Ontario, Canada • Program Objectives • Engage teens in an exciting way • Promote the library collection • Enhance content of library website • Promote literacy skills • Develop positive relationships between staff and teen volunteers • Provide opportunity to gain volunteer hours

23. Culture Days Flash Mob Submitted by Kathy Hammer Children’s Services Librarian Innisfil Public Library Ontario, Canada Culture Days www.culturedays.ca A cross-Canada collaborative movement to raise awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement in the arts and cultural life of communities

24. Culture Days Flash Mob Submitted by Kathy Hammer Children’s Services Librarian Innisfil Public Library Ontario, Canada

25. Culture Days Flash Mob • Program Objectives • Support and promote the Culture Days movement • Offer intergenerational activity • Raise awareness of library • Strengthen relations between library and Town Council • Capitalize on a pop culture phenomenon Submitted by Kathy Hammer Children’s Services Librarian Innisfil Public Library Ontario, Canada

26. Pop Culture Family Programming • Program Objectives • Popular Culture - Current Event Programming • Promote the library as a relevant, fun and vibrant place • Build on existing enthusiasm for timely events • Re-energize programs with decreasing attendance

27. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by Jen Watson Children’s Programmer Pioneer Park Community Library Ontario, Canada A life sized board game played at Community Centre for Community’s 30th Anniversary Fun Fair Wonka’s Candy Land

28. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by Jen Watson Children’s Programmer Pioneer Park Community Library Ontario, Canada Wonka’s Candy Land

29. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by Jen Watson Children’s Programmer Pioneer Park Community Library Ontario, Canada Wonka’s Candy Land

30. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by Jen Watson Children’s Programmer Pioneer Park Community Library Ontario, Canada Wonka’s Candy Land

31. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by Jan Wood-Salomon Children’s Programmer Cambridge Libraries & Galleries Ontario, Canada Special storytime promoting family literacy Royal Wedding Party

32. Pop Culture Family Programming Submitted by LaureenYacynuk Children’s Programmer Cambridge Libraries & Galleries Ontario, Canada Summer Reading Program Special Event for Families Camping with Chipper

33. Idea Share Share a community program happening at your library

34. Idea Share Want to be a part of the online Youth Community Programming network? Complete the card provided we’ll invite you to the network launch planned for Winter 2013

35. Community Chest Community Chest Youth & Family Engagement @ your library APLA May 2012 Beth Maddigan & Susan Bloos