Quick Bites: Growing Readers with a Growth Mindset
2022-08-23 12:00 - 12:20 (America/Denver)
Session archive
When we have a growth mindset, we believe that intelligence and skill is tied to hard work rather than talent. Our mindset has lifelong impacts on how we learn and face challenges, from the challenge of learning to read to adapting to a changing work environment. The way adults talk to children about ability and failure influences their mindset, and even as adults our mindset can shift and change. This session will review growth mindset research and introduce strategies to grow a growth mindset.

Quick Bites: Books for Beginning and Struggling Readers
2022-08-30 12:00 - 12:20
Session archive
References (Word)
Bookmark (Intended for download)
Books for Beginning Independent Reading
Parent Resources

Special guest Laura Lay
With the start of a new school year and new learning, students in the early stages of reading are working hard to apply what they’ve learned. We will talk about the reading stages that children progress through, reading vs. guessing habits, the joy of successful reading, and books to support different reading stages and different skills. Join special guest Laura Lay, Senior Literacy Consultant for the Preschool through 3rd Grade Office of the Colorado Department of Education as we explore strategies to support beginning readers at the library.

Media Mentorship in the Age of COVID: How libraries can help families navigate the challenging world of screen time.
2022-09-15 12:00 - 13:00
Session Archive
Session slides (PPT)
Resources
For years, librarians have been assisting families in making reading choices. How can we transfer those advisory skills to digital media – and feel confident in doing so? With screens now an ubiquitous part of our lives, librarians can and should help patrons navigate the digital and online space.
Learn the current research around screen time and young children, and how librarians can advocate for thoughtful use of media while respecting the challenges our families are facing. We will also talk about early learning media evaluation tools, review sites, and the new ALSC Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award.
You are a Reader’s Advisor, and you CAN be a Media Mentor too!
About the presenter
Mary Kuehner is the Early Literacy Outreach Librarian at Arapahoe Library District where she facilitates the Stories and More program. She has over 23 years’ experience working with young children and their caregivers and is a founding member of Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy.

Customer service: From transactions to transformations
2022-10-06 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session Slides (PPT)
Transform Playbook (DOC)
Libraries and library staff have had to continuously adapt over the last two plus years while continuing to provide the services their customers needed. In this session, we will discuss all of the different ways we interact with our patrons, learn about a transformation model and how it applies to customer service, and brainstorm what we intentionally want to carry forward.

Planting Seeds for Success-FULL Focus Groups
2022-11-09 12:00 - 13:00
Session Archive
Session Slides (PDF)
Resources (PDF)
There are countless reasons why you might want to hear from your library’s community members but organizing a time for people to share their thoughts in a safe, structured environment can feel challenging. In many cases, conducting a focus group may be a great place to start. The goal of this webinar is to make designing and facilitating focus groups feel more accessible by discussing the following:

What focus groups are and how they can help your library engage community members
Tools and tips for designing focus groups and gathering participants
Skills for conducting inclusive, trauma-informed focus groups

We are looking forward to leading an engaging discussion on focus groups, by sharing what we have learned and listening to the audience’s experience and perspectives.
No registration is required for this webinar. We will be using Adobe Connect, and you can access the webinar on November 9 at noon MT via the URL listed below.

About the Presenter:
Sara Wicen is the Research Assistant for the Library Research Service of the Colorado State Library. She collaborates on a variety of research projects for CSL and Colorado libraries and writes informative blog posts on all aspects of evaluation. She loves to spend her free time outdoors running, biking, snowboarding or reading.

Quick Bites: Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) and Colorado’s Early Childhood Mental Health Support Line
2022-12-06 12:00 - 12:30
Session Archive
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) is a service focused on increasing the capacity of caregivers and programs to effectively support young children’s social emotional and mental health needs and strengths.
Join Victoria Mendoza, MS, LPCC and Natalie Holifield, LCSW to learn more about Colorado’s no-cost, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) services. Additionally, Victoria and Natalie will share information about Colorado’s Early Childhood Mental Health Support Line. Join us to learn more about how libraries can leverage ECMHC to support children, families, and communities.

Virtual Fall Youth Services Workshops
2023-01-10 13:00 - 15:00, 2023-01-17 13:00 - 15:00
Session Archives

Day 1
Day 2

Resources

Dementia 101 for Public Library Staff
2023-01-19 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
More than 6 million people in the United States have dementia. Once you add in 15 million friends, family members, and caregivers, the numbers represent a significant segment of the population served by public libraries. This means that the dementia community is already in your library.
The question is not will you serve this community, but will you serve it well? Your staff encounters people with dementia daily.

Do they understand the behaviors they encounter?
Are they welcoming to this vulnerable group?
Do they feel empowered to provide services and programs that improve quality of life?

This interactive session will help public library staff understand dementia and develop effective communication strategies. It will also provide ideas about programs and services for this growing population of patrons.
About the Presenter
Amy is the Manager of Older Adult Services at the Denver Public Library, where she oversees all aspects of library service for people age 50+ across the library’s 28 branches. This includes programming, events, community partnerships, staff training, social inclusion, and outreach. Amy has pioneered a positive aging approach at the library, supporting older adults in lifelong learning, creative endeavors, and community connections. At the same time, she leads the library in addressing the real challenges people face as they age, including social isolation, homelessness, financial insecurity, dementia, and declining health. Amy has been nationally recognized for her leadership in this area of librarianship, being named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2021. She has also spoken at numerous national conferences on the topic. Amy has been a librarian for 13 years and has worked in law libraries, neighborhood branches, and technology centers. Librarianship is her fourth career — after stints as a journalist, a lawyer, and a writer — and this is by far her favorite.

Shine-a-Light: Perspectives of a New Teacher Librarian
2023-01-19 16:00 - 17:00
Webinar Recording Request link
Join your Colorado K-12 library and teaching community for the next Shine-a-Light on Innovative Practices webinar Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 4:00 pm!
This month’s session “Perspectives of a New Teacher Librarian” features Telluride teacher librarian Dori Crowe as she shares lessons learned across her career as a classroom teacher in Chicago, then a preschool teacher, library paraprofessional, and now teacher librarian in Telluride, Colorado. In this interactive session, we will discuss the journey of what it’s like to be a new teacher librarian, the similarities and differences between urban and rural teaching, how to build community partnerships, and more
A reminder for K-12 teachers that you can earn a continuing education hour of credit by sharing a post-session reflection post with Suzi Tonini, Colorado State Library’s School Library Consultant, at tonini_s@cde.state.co.us.

How to Really Reach the Latino Community
2023-01-26 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive (brief Spanish introduction with the content in English)
In this presentation, we will explore how to build strong relationships with the Latino community before thinking about programing. Examples of specific needs that have been ignored in our community will be discussed, as well as how to create solid relationships with the community, and examples of programs that were developed based on the feedback provided by the Latino community.
About the presenter:
José Luis Bilingual Business Sustainability Coordinator for the city of Longmont who joined government after running his own business for over 10 years, where he experienced the different needs of small businesses and the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the United States. He is an engineer and has a BS in Computer Science from California Polytechnic State University.
José Luis offers a wide range of experiences and knowledge in business, processes with government agencies, and strategies to make small entrepreneurs more productive and successful in their businesses. His specialties include restaurants, construction, IT systems, and he is fully bilingual in both English and Spanish.

Just Don't Do It: Finally a session on how to say no at work!
2023-02-08 12:00 - 13:00
Session Archive
Session Slides – (PPT)
Just Don’t Do it Field Guide (Word)
Just Don’t Do It Flow Chart (Word)

Are you a people pleaser?
Do you feel guilty for not always going the extra mile?
Do you find yourself saying yes, only to regret it later?
Are you teetering on the edge of burnout, and things seem harder than they should because you have too much on your plate?

There is no badge of honor for always saying yes to more work. By learning to say no, you will learn how to say yes to your values, goals, and important relationships.
After attending this session participants will:

Understand why it is hard to say no.
Recognize that boundary setting is crucial for maintaining productive relationships.
Practice strategies and scripts for saying no respectfully.

About the presenters
As the Rural & Small Library Consultant for the Colorado State Library, Kieran is passionate about rural libraries. He has served as President of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries. He is known for his humor and high energy.

Currently working as the Professional Development Coordinator for the Colorado State Library, Christine Kreger is passionate about providing the tools, training, and support library staff at all levels need to provide amazing services to their communities.

Shine-a-Light Webinar: Be Prepared! How to Respond to Book Challenges
2023-02-16 16:00 - 17:00
Webinar Recording Request link
Book Challenges can be scary, overwhelming and personal. Join us with session facilitators Suzi Tonini (Colorado State Library at CDE) and Tiah Frankish (Adams 12 Library Services Coordinator), who will walk you through how to leverage your materials selection policy, procedures, and reconsideration process to reduce the fear of a book challenge. Practice with your colleagues across the state to respond to book complaints with confidence.

How We Got Hammered at the Library
2023-03-07 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
In Fall of 2021 Lake County Public Library received a $25,000 grant from Colorado Housing and Finance Authority to start a tool library. The grant application was completed in partnership with Lake County Build a Generation.
In this session, we will discuss tool selection, tool purchasing, marketing, and the all-important policies and procedures. Additionally, as a Marmot library, we will discuss cataloging, the Booking Module in Sierra and how it functions in Pika.
This grant was a particularly good fit for our library because there are many older homes in our community in need of repair. In Leadville, 61 percent of housing units were built before 1940, and only 13 percent of homes have been built since 1980. Further, the median income is significantly lower than the state average. Therefore, this collection of tools is intended to bridge the need for those who cannot afford traditional repair options.
About the presenters
Brena Smith has been the director of Lake County Public Library since January 2018. My background is in academic libraries, but my heart has settled quite nicely into working in a public library. Being in a small community has allowed me to position the library to be a community partner that collaborates on fun and interesting projects!

Jeff Owsley is the Community Relationship Manager for CHFA (Colorado Housing and Finance Authority) in South Central Colorado assisting 9 counties with affordable housing and economic development. Prior to working with CHFA, Jeff was Director of the Small Business Development Center for the San Luis Valley and has other business and nonprofit management experience in Colorado Springs, Dallas, Austria and Albania, before returning to his six generation ancestral home of Alamosa in the San Luis Valley.

Kristi Galarza is a community organizer for affordable housing at Lake County Build a Generation. She facilitates multiple groups of community members to make the policy changes that support building more housing.

Learning to Read at School, Loving to Read at the Library
2023-04-05 13:00 - 14:00
Session archive
Session Slides (PPT)
Learning to read is one of the most important skills a person needs to be successful in school, work and life. Public Librarians and teachers have complimentary roles in the reading lives of kids. Teachers focus on teaching kids how to read, and I like to think that librarians focus on encouraging kids to LOVE reading and books. In this webinar, we will go over what science tells us about how kids learn to read, how public libraries can and do support this learning, and discuss ways to increase knowledge and collaboration between schools and libraries.
About the Presenter
Jess Hesselberg has worked as a Teacher Librarian, a public children’s librarian and as a library leader for over a decade. Her favorite storytime books are generally about underwear or similarly silly themes. She spends as much time as possible exploring the outdoors with her two kids and husband.

Homelessness 101 for Libraries
2023-04-06 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
In this presentation, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will provide a practical understanding of the state of homelessness on a national and local level, causes and consequences, and innovative solutions, including those provided by the Coalition. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is a 38-year-old organization that advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being and stability of those it serves.
About the Presenter
Alexis Whitham(she/her) serves as the Director of Communications for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). She has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years in Chicago, the Bay Area, and Denver. Prior to joining the CCH team, Alexis served as the Director of Communications and Grants for the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado and the Director of Distribution and Educational Programming for Frameline, a San Francisco arts non-profit. Her work in the sector has consistently centered those marginalized in policies, funding, and media—including people of color, transgender individuals, people experiencing homelessness, youth, and elders. Alexis graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Creative Writing and serves on the Board of Think360 Arts for Learning. She lives in the Whittier neighborhood of Denver with her fiancée and perfect cats.

Shine-a-Light: Autism is Welcome Here: Increase Access and Inclusion For Neurodivergent Youth
2023-04-20 16:00 - 17:00
Webinar Recording Request link
Transform your school and public library to support and engage autistic youth! Learn about the unique needs of autistic individuals and listen to feedback gathered from the autism community about their library experiences. Translate this information and input into concrete strategies to create an autism-friendly library climate, develop a collection with authentic and affirming representation of autism, and design programming to engage neurodivergent children and teens.
About the presenter
Suzi Tonini is the School Library Leadership Consultant for the Colorado State Library. Suzi holds a M.Ed. in Education from George Mason University and a M.A. in Information Learning Technologies and Teacher Librarian endorsement from the University of Colorado Denver. Suzi has more than twenty years of experience as an educator and seven years of experience as a librarian for Denver Public Schools and the state of Colorado.

Let’s Talk about Parental Leave
2023-04-27 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
Research Survey Questions (PDF)
Selected quotes from the research (PDF)
Paid parental leave is still not available to the vast majority of people in the United States, including many librarians. In the spring of 2022, the presenter conducted a research study surveying academic librarian mothers about the availability of formal and informal policies related to parental leave.
Mothers were asked to indicate which policies were available to them, barriers to using these policies, and other insight into their parental leave experiences. Whether or not participants have experienced parental leave themselves, the findings may be helpful to all libraries and institutions that wish to support their employees through parental leave with supportive policies and practices.
During this interactive session, we will review the results of the 2022 survey, share attendee experiences and questions about parental leave, and brainstorm both formal and informal ways we all can advocate for and support working parents.
About the presenter

In addition to being a mom, Courtney Drysdale is a Research and Instruction Librarian and Associate Professor for Regis University. A former high school math teacher and elementary school teacher librarian, she enjoys teaching information literacy classes and working with students and faculty on research individually. She is the liaison to Education, Math, and Chemistry. Courtney was the Conference Chair for the Colorado Association of Libraries Conference (CALCON) in 2019 and has served on the conference planning committee since 2017. Her research interests include first year students and library instruction, creating welcoming library environments, and virtual reference.

Role of Rural Libraries in Promoting Digital Health Literacy
2023-05-17 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
People in rural areas face many health challenges and are often long distances from quality healthcare. Learn how a rural library partnered with healthcare providers to launch a telehealth program, utilize a Community Health Worker, lead disaster response efforts, and provide digital health literacy training.
About the presenter
Dianne Connery, Director of Pottsboro Library, has been committed to rural public libraries since 2010. She earned a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Gerontology from the University of North Texas. Ms. Connery is actively invested in eﬀorts to improve digital inclusion in rural communities. She is passionate about inspiring others and advocating for the work of rural libraries, with an emphasis on community resilience. The Pottsboro Library was named one of the “Top Three Best Small Libraries in America” in 2017. Ms. Connery was honored as an Innovator in Library Journal’s “Movers & Shakers class of 2021”. She was selected as the 2022 Texas Small Community Librarian of the Year.

Disability 101 for Libraries (Disability Law Colorado)
2023-05-25 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
This presentation will include a brief overview of Disability Law Colorado’s work, an overview of the ADA and how that applies to public entities including libraries, and a summary of disability rights issues library patrons may face in other aspects of their lives. There will be time for questions and discussion.
About the presenter
Kelly McCullough has been practicing law since 2010 when she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a law degree and her Master’s in Social Work. She spent 10 years as an attorney with the Colorado Public Defender’s Office. Prior to law school, Kelly worked as a mental health social worker in Ohio. She joined Disability Law Colorado in 2020 as the Access Team Leader and became the Director of Legal Services in October 2022.

Reading Video Games as Literature
2023-05-25 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session Slides
Handout: Critical Hits Background
Do video games belong in the library? I will discuss how, at my library, I am merging play and critical analysis through hosting a monthly video game club for adults in which we explore video games as audiovisual ludonarrative texts. We consider play, story, visual grammar, and aural design as they contribute to multimodal literacy. Through this lens, we see how games are situated adjacent to literature and film canon.
Using examples (Bioshock, as an exploration of the philosophies in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged; Hades, as the first video game to win a Hugo Award), we will dissect “audiovisual ludonarrativity” as a means to break down games into their base elements to gain a greater understanding of themes and messages at work in the games we play and how to discuss them academically.
About the presenter
Shayne Taylor is the teen programming librarian at Summit County Libraries in Breckenridge, Colorado. Inside, he enjoys video games and is a Dungeons and Dragons game master. Outside, you can find him in the mountains, white water rafting or skiing.

Serving Older Adults
2023-07-11 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
More than a third of our customers are older adults (that is, people age 50+), and that number is growing. This training will make you generationally competent so that you can serve older adults in an effective and a respectful manner. Learn about the developmental stages of aging, the personality and neurological changes that happen as we age (hint: your brain does not get worse, it just gets different), the problem of ageism, and the pioneering work that DPL does for this population. This training is a “good news” training that will give you lots to embrace about the process of getting older. Not only will this training make you more effective at working with older adults, it might even help you in your own journey of aging.
About the presenter
Amy is the Manager of Older Adult Services at the Denver Public Library. She has been a librarian for over 12 years, and in that time she has developed a specialization in library programs and services for older adults, for people with Alzheimer’s/dementia, and for caregivers. In her current role, Amy oversees all aspects of library service for people age 50+ in the Denver metro area. She has spearheaded a positive aging approach that is rooted in neurology, psychology, and the social and emotional needs of people as they age. Amy views age as a gift and a time of great growth and importance. At the same time, she recognizes the hard realities of aging, which can include declining health, ageism, and economic and social marginalization. Amy provides information, resources, services, and programs to this age group, and she supports other organizations in their efforts. For her innovative approach, Amy has received a Metro Vision Award from the Denver Regional Council of Government and a Movers & Shakers award from Library Journal.

OATS & Senior Planet for Colorado Libraries
2023-09-13 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
Representatives from Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP will introduce Colorado libraries to the way OATS can support libraries to empower older adults with the tools and training necessary to take advantage of today’s technology and use it to enrich their lives. OATS is a social impact organization with a mission to “harness the power of technology to change the way we age.” They will also introduce Colorado libraries to their flagship program, Senior Planet from AARP through which OATS creates and delivers in-person and online lifelong learning experiences in wellness, technology, and lifestyle management.

The Confluence of Business and Career Services and the Community: Navigating the Waters
2023-09-14 13:00 - 14:00
Session archive
Business Services Webinar Slides (PPT)
Libraries provide vital services to entrepreneurs and job seekers. Discover how to identify and work with local organizations who provide similar services to benefit the community. Learn to identify the partners in your ecosystem and create opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing. Develop your vision and goals to enhance your strategy for charting your course. Participants will leave with a toolkit of ideas to help on their voyage and understand how to work with other organizations in a broad ecosystem without creating competition. With many years of experience working in libraries, Christine (Former Career Services librarian) and Sandy (Former Business Services librarian) will share the lessons they have learned in navigating these waters.
About the presenters
Sandy Hancock started her library career in 2008 as Library Associate for Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD). After graduating from San Jose State University (MLIS) in 2014, she was promoted to the Digital and Emerging Technologies librarian. In 2015, Sandy left PPLD for Pikes Peak State College as an Instruction and Assessment Librarian. She returned to PPLD in 2018 to manage the Old Colorado City Branch. In October 2020, she assumed the role of Strategic Services Business librarian. In 2023, she made the move to the Adult Education department as Director. She continues to create community in her roles and strives to make a difference one person at a time.
Prior to working in libraries, she worked as a buyer for Gardenburger, Inc. located in Ogden, Utah, providing her with a varied background in both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Christine Dyar received her MLIS from Drexel University in 2011. She started her library career at Pikes Peak Library District as Digital and Emerging Technologies Librarian in 2011 before moving on to positions as Adult Services Librarian, Computer Class Coordinator, and Collection Management Librarian. In 2019, Christine moved to Arapahoe Libraries as an Information Services Specialist. In 2020, Christine became Branch Manager at the Rifle Library in Garfield County. She returned to Arapahoe Libraries as Career Services Librarian in 2021. Christine is now part of Collection Management at Arapahoe Libraries, as Adult Non-fiction Selection Librarian, where she hopes to remain until she retires! Prior to her library career, Christine was a Telecommunications Engineer at Wells Fargo, and an Investigator for the El Paso County Office of the Public Defender.

Growing Readers Together: Silverton Public Library
2023-10-05 10:00 - 10:30
Session archive
Join Growing Readers Together this autumn to celebrate and learn from the work of seven 2023 Buell Foundation grantee libraries! From outdoor playscapes and amphitheaters to reimagined indoor children’s sections; from intergenerational community service projects to creative outreach and programming efforts, you’ll have the opportunity to explore many different ways of building library service to informal family, friend, and neighbor caregivers into your library’s unique approach to early childhood.

Growing Readers Together: High Plains Library District
2023-10-19 12:00 - 12:30

Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities in the Library Classroom
2023-10-19 14:00 - 15:00
Session Archive
Session Slides (PPT)
It is estimated that approximately 20% of all students in the United States have some sort of disability. Most of these disabled students have disabilities that are not obvious to an observer. Such disabilities are generally called “invisible disabilities,” or “non-apparent disabilities,” and they include a wide range of conditions that cause physical, medical, psychological, developmental/learning, sensory, or emotional impairments that disrupt a student’s access to education. Invisible disabilities are often poorly understood and hard to identify or diagnose. Students with invisible disabilities may not know they have disabilities and even if they do, may not receive supports or accommodations.
In this session, I will give a brief overview of invisible disabilities, neurodivergence, and ableism, then discuss ways to support disabled students in library classrooms. I will frame my discussion from the perspective of the social model of disability (which argues that disability is the product of a society that is not set up to be inclusive) and will explore some of the ideas offered by Universal Design for Learning (UDL,) a well-established method of providing access to disabled students in educational settings.
Although geared somewhat towards higher education, this session is useful for anyone who has a public facing position or teaches groups of students. Knowledge about invisible disabilities can help us all provide better services, instruction, and supports for students and patrons in all types of libraries.
About the presenter
Elizabeth Novosel has been a librarian at the University of Colorado Boulder for the past six years and works with a variety of departments, including: computer science, mathematics, economics, information science, and German.

Growing Readers Together: Outdoor Spaces with Grand County Library District
2023-10-26 12:00 - 12:30

Growing Readers Together: Alamosa Public Library
2023-11-08 12:00 - 12:30

Digital Equity Plan for Colorado with Melanie Colletti
2023-11-09 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
Melanie Colletti from Colorado’s Office of the Future of Work will present the state’s Digital Equity Plan to Colorado libraries in this webinar. Libraries are in a unique position as anchor institutions throughout metropolitan, rural, mountain, and remote areas of the state to access funding, partnerships, and other resources through the federal and state investment in digital inclusion efforts.
Digital literacy and access to the internet are considered a “super social determinant of health.” They are the backbone for all other social determinants of health (economic sustainability, health care system, community and social context, food, education, neighborhood and physical environment). To ensure the health of its communities and economy, Colorado has taken strategic steps towards digital equity: a state in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy.
The OFW partners with the Colorado Broadband Office, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, Colorado Department of Higher Education, Colorado Department of Education Office of Adult Education Initiatives, Colorado Workforce Development Council, community based organizations, stakeholders, and others to research digital literacy.
