Libraries Learn

Level Up Your Booktalks! New Ways to Engage in School Outreach
2024-08-14 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Denver)
Are you new to booktalking?
Does he thought of giving a booktalk make you nervous?
Have you been booktalking for a while but need ideas on how to level them up?
Are you looking for new ways to partner with your local school or public library?

Join the Youth and Teen Librarians from Arapahoe Libraries for an exciting workshop! We will introduce you to the art of confident booktalks, demonstrate ways to engage readers of all ages with interactive strategies, and share ways to create meaningful outreach experiences. Bonus: Grow your reading list with some new-to-you titles for kids and teens!
Session archive
Session Slides (PDF)
Booktalk Handout (PDF)
Universal Booktalk Bingo Terms (PDF)
About the presenters
Catherine was a teen librarian for 12 years before moving into the Teen Services Supervisor role
at Arapahoe Libraries. She has spent lots of time visiting schools and talking about books.

Erica is a Teen Services Librarian for Arapahoe Libraries in Colorado. She spends a lot of time in schools booktalking for teens and working on ways to encourage teen interest in books of all formats.

Tanya is a Youth Services Librarian at Arapahoe Libraries in Denver, Colorado. Her favorite things about her job (if she had to pick) are a family cooking program and booktalking to kids at schools.

The Ins and Outs of Check Out Colorado State Parks for Libraries
2024-08-08 10:00 - 11:00
Check Out Colorado State Parks is Colorado’s “parks pass and backpack” program whereby public libraries, public higher education libraries, and military libraries in the state receive unique seven-day passes for Colorado state parks that are checked out by community members along with a backpack full of Colorado field guides, exploration, and activity materials. Since its 2015 pilot, the program has grown and changed.
This webinar is intended to reintroduce Colorado libraries to this program. It will answer questions about program operations, available materials, promotional guidelines, and frequently asked questions. This program is encouraged for all library staff and librarians in Colorado libraries.
Session archive
Additional drop-in sessions for Q&A are scheduled through the month of August for anyone who misses this webinar or has questions they’d like to discuss with program administrator at the Colorado State Library, Cristy Moran. Program administrators at local libraries are strongly encouraged to bring their operational questions.

About the presenter:
Cristy Moran (she/ella) administers the Check Out Colorado State Parks program for the Colorado State Library and all participant libraries. She is also the direct partner with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the state library’s partner in this program. Cristy is the Adult Library Services Senior Consultant at the Colorado State Library.

Talking Teen Services: The Importance of Alternative Literacy - What is it and why is it important to implement in our libraries, classrooms and lives
2024-08-01 13:00 - 14:00
Alternative Literacy is the process of teaching children and young adults literacy skills through non-traditional means. In this presentation, I cover three big examples of this: graphic novels, tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), and video games. Further, I provide an overview of how educators, librarians, and individuals can implement them into their work or daily life. In this presentation, you can expect to learn:

What alternative literacy is and the benefits
Definitions of graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games
Why graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games are effective in teaching literacy
How to utilize graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games in libraries and classrooms

Session archive
Session slides (PDF)
Handout (PDF)
What graphic novels would you recommend? (PDF)
Have you been impacted by storytelling in any video game? (PDF)
Youth Wellbeing in a Technology-Rich World – Addresses questions about video game safety
About the presenter
Sarah Vail is a Colorado native, growing up in the beautiful front range, now living in Glenwood Springs with their lovely cat, Colonel Turtle. They have been working with the Garfield County Library District for over two years, specializing in teen programming and collections, with a background in programming for a variety of ages. In their work, they tie together their passion for the arts, reading, writing, and all things nerdy into practical programs suitable for the community, such as: coordinating writing spaces during the annual NaNoWriMo event, facilitating guest presenters to run Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering events, organizing, managing and DMing a monthly Dungeons and Dragons game (one session was attended by Governor Polis!), working collectively with the librarian at our local high school to create a high school book club, among many more programming and outreach accomplishments.

Bienvenidos: Creating Welcome for Hispanohablantes and Latines at Your Library
2024-05-28 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
Wordcloud (jpg)
In the 2020 Census, over 22% of Coloradans self-identified as Hispanic or Latino. In some of our communities, the population is more than double (and not always where you think!). As state population trends shifts and the demographics of our communities change, libraries look to how we can create welcoming spaces that leverage our existing missions and service models to serve those new community members. “Bienvenidos” offers insights from state and local demographic sources to discover who makes up the community we serve. It also features best practices built from bilingual and self-identified Latine library staff and librarians in our libraries. In the end, participants can use these insights to establish best practices for welcoming visitors to our libraries regardless of linguistic and cultural barriers.
About the presenter
Cristy Moran (she/ ella) is the Adult Library Services Senior Consultant at the Colorado State Library. She is a librarian and educator who has worked in libraries and education for over 15 years. In supporting all Colorado libraries (including public, academic, and special libraries), Cristy’s role can best be described as the librarian for librarians who serve adults in Colorado. Cristy’s professional interests are wide-ranging and varied, but always centered on the communities we serve.

The Science Behind Our Burnout: Compassion Fatigue in Libraries
2024-04-09 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
Self-Care Inventory (Word)
Compassion Fatigue Symptoms (PDF)
“Literature shows the growing phenomena of compassion fatigue among professions outside of traditional “caregiving” roles. Libraries are also increasingly recognizing compassion fatigue in their staff. However, there is a struggle to learn about where it originates.
Vicarious Trauma, overwhelming workloads, and burnout are three things that can contribute to library professionals struggling to care about their work and their patrons. What’s more, there are more tools out there than being told to practice self-care.
This session will break down how compassion fatigue shows up in libraries and the science behind it. Attendees will also explore what can be done to combat compassion fatigue in a variety of ways.
About the Presenters:
Cydney Clink is in her 6th year of employment at Mesa County Libraries where she recently became the Head of Programming taking on the challenge of creating a new department charged with centralizing programming and events for all ages. She holds a bachelor’s in Sociology with an emphasis in Family Studies from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s degree in Library Science from Emporia State University.

Rose Marie Fraser is the Adult Programming Librarian at Mesa County Libraries. She obtained her MLIS from the University of Denver in 2022 and has worked in branch services, youth services, reference, and now focuses on programming for adults. Her passions include educating her peers and community on how to better serve our houseless patrons and being an advocate for mental health in the workplace.

Autism Is Welcome Here: The ACCESS Approach to Inclusion
2024-02-27 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
Handout
Videos watched during the session:

Different Does not Mean Broken
See the Potential with Michael McCreary

Books mentioned during the session:

Izzy at the End of the World by K. A. Reynolds
We’re All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise
Good Different Hardcover by Meg Eden Kuyatt

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.

Shine-a-Light: Building a Schoolwide Reading Community
2024-02-21 16:00 - 17:00
Establishing a schoolwide reading culture requires creativity, consistency, and passion and nowhere is it more challenging than at a high school. Join Hollie Hawkins for a deep dive into how she and her colleagues have built a strong reading community at Eaglecrest High School in Cherry Creek Schools by designing in house, gamified initiatives that intersect with students’ interests and identities. Then stick around to see how Beanstack, a digital reading tool, can elevate work like Hollie’s by making it accessible and appealing to the digital lives of students today.”
Webinar Recording Request Link
About the Presenters
Hollie Hawkins is proud to serve as a Teacher Librarian at Eaglecrest High School, where she is committed to fostering inclusive and welcoming spaces with diverse programming that inspire all students to foster their intellectual curiosity and personal growth. She would like to remind everyone that the book is always better.

Don Giacomini is a former teacher and public librarian who stumbled into the vendor world. He has a passion for literacy, the transformative power of reading, and once read Finnegan’s Wake even though he didn’t understand any of it.

Colorado's Talent Pipeline Report: Workforce Stats and Essential Info for Libraries
2024-02-09 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
The annual Colorado Talent Pipeline Report identifies areas of growing demand and opportunity, key features of the current labor force, and strategies to balance the supply and demand equation for talent. It also highlights the Top Jobs in Colorado — jobs with high annual openings, above average growth, and a good wage. Join Caitlin McKennie, PhD, Talent Pipeline Economist from the Colorado Workforce Development Council to learn the latest stats and trends related to our state’s workforce and ask questions about how libraries can leverage this information to meet our communities where they are in ways that they need to make our state and their lives better.
Access the 2023 Talent Pipeline Report.
About the Presenter
Caitlin McKennie, PhD, is the Talent Pipeline Economist from the Colorado Workforce Development Council

Trends & Libraries
2024-02-08 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
Session Slides (PPT)
Session Handout (Word)
How do you plan for the future in such ambiguous times? In this interactive session, you will:

Explore trends that are impacting libraries
Discuss how these trends may impact internal operations and library services
Consider how trends and library responses impact the ways the community thinks of and values the library into the future.

The session includes a library scenario for practice on analysis. You will walk away with links to local demographic data and library data so you can go further after the session for your own local trends analysis.
Outcomes: After this workshop, participants will be able to:

Identify trends that impact libraries
Analyze trends through the lens of library operations and services
Consider how library responses to trends impacts the community’s view and value of the library
Access new resources & strategies for analysis of trends as they relate to their library

About the presenters
Sharon Morris started her library career in public libraries, doing children’s and teen services, outreach, collection development, circulation, and reference. She earned an MLIS and PhD in Managerial Leadership in Libraries. Sharon works at the Colorado State Library where she oversees library leadership development and statewide public library projects. She offers workshops and institutes on leadership, research, management, supervision, happiness, play, values, insight, improv comedy, and Disney techniques in libraries, among other subjects.

Kieran is the Rural & Small Library Consultant at the Colorado State Library. He is an engaging and enthusiastic public speaker focusing on customer service and policy. Based in Wetmore, Colorado, he has served as President of the Association for Rural & Small Libraries and has a passion for helping strengthen what you do to meet the needs of your community. He has built his own house, walked across the country, worked with the elderly and dying, learned blacksmithing, and worked in public libraries.

Sticky Situations: Patron privacy, and customer service
2024-01-25 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session Handout (Word)
Session Slides (PPT)
Privacy and confidentiality are core values of librarianship, but what does that mean when we are interacting with our patrons on a day-to-day basis?
Join us for an interactive session as we explore how patron privacy connects to everyday customer service.
After attending this session, attendees will be able to:

Understand how privacy and confidentiality directly connect to everyday library work.
Discuss Colorado library law, and how library policies and procedures can guide and support patron interactions.
Practice real world scenarios to apply learning.

About the presenter:
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: Reading Between the Lines of Professional Reviews
2024-01-24 16:00 - 17:00
Webinar Recording Request
As libraries, we all want to make sure the books we select will stay on our shelves. In order to do so, we have to utilize professional reviews to help us choose the right resources for our community. During this session we will use selection criteria from a materials selection policy to read several reviews with a critical eye. Attendees will be able to read a professional review and determine if it matches policy.
About the presenter:
Tiah Frankish has been an educator for 26 years. Working as a middle school math and social studies teacher, then as a teacher librarian prepared her for her gig as the library services coordinator in Adams County. Recently, she made the move to the Colorado State Library where she works as the Director of Library Development. She counts herself fortunate to be able to work alongside many of the library superstars that helped to shape her career! She recently finished up her tenure as president of the Colorado Association of Libraries and is still serving on the board as Past President. When she isn’t doing all of that, she enjoys time playing games, knitting, and spending time with family.

Growing Readers Together: Garfield County Public Libraries
2023-12-20 12:00 - 12:30
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.

Shine a Light: From Concept to Reality: Helping Students Find Books They Love Through Genrefication
2023-12-12 16:00 - 17:00
Webinar Recording Request link
Embark on a step-by-step journey with Telluride Middle/High School Teacher Librarian Dori Crowe as she shares the process of developing and implementing a plan to genrefy fiction titles in the school library. Gain practical insights into all aspects of the project– communicating with the school community, weeding, redesigning the library space, sorting titles by genre, updating the catalog, creating signage, and introducing students to their new library layout.
Presenter Dori Crowe juggles many roles as a rural Teacher Librarian. She is the Telluride School Library Media Specialist, Middle School Yearbook Teacher, and Independent Studies Teacher. Prior to her role as a teacher-librarian, Dori spent 19 years as the lead teacher at Telluride Preschool and before that, four years teaching 1st grade in Chicago Public Schools.

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

Playing Well with Others – At Work
2023-12-07 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session handout (DOC)
Session Slides (PPT)
Play Patches (PDF)
We all know that children learn through play, but what about adults? Research shows that when humans, at any age, play, they learn and grow into healthy, happy, well-functioning individuals. Indeed, embedding playful work techniques into your day can lead to greater creativity, productivity, and resilience in you and your library. And knowing others’ play styles will help build better teams, improve collaborative work, and create a more enjoyable work culture. Join us for this lively, interactive, and fun session, as we delve into the research on play, identify your play style, and explore ways to add more play into your work.
About the Presenters
Sharon Morris started her library career in public libraries, doing children’s and teen services, outreach, collection development, circulation, and reference. She earned an MLIS and PhD in Managerial Leadership in Libraries. Sharon works at the Colorado State Library where she oversees library leadership development and statewide public library projects. She offers workshops and institutes on leadership, research, management, supervision, happiness, play, values, insight, improv comedy, and Disney techniques in libraries, among other subjects.

As the Rural & Small Library Consultant for the Colorado State Library, Kieran Hixon 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.

Get Ready for Tax Season at Colorado Libraries!
2023-12-07 11:00 - 12:00
Session archive
Get Ahead Colorado knows the integral role that libraries plan in our communities to support understanding taxes, tax preparation, tax filing, and tax help. In this webinar, Get Ahead Colorado will present some helpful 101 for librarians and library staff in helping prepare for the upcoming tax season, including regional contacts for tax services and tax assistance, some basic federal and state tax information we can communicate to patrons, how to find information online and in print, and more. There will be ample time for librarians and library staff to bring their questions for our presenters.

Science Corners: Going from Eeeeek to Awww!
2023-11-30 12:00 - 13:00
Session archive
Session slides (PPT)
Libraries have always been the melting pot of educational opportunities for the communities they serve. At Pine River Library we decided to introduce live animals into our programming and social media presence to help foster a greater understanding of non-traditional pets and to help people embrace less furry creatures.
We have Asmo, the rescue corn snake, Epipidabates poison dart frogs, varieties of fish, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, and our newest addition Tad Cooper, a bearded dragon. These animals, especially Asmo, have become hugely popular pieces of our library and have allowed us to create programming that is both educational and outside the box!
These Science Corner staples have become part of our yearly Summer Reading content, have their own social media pages, and have allowed us to broaden our reach to people of all ages who may fear animals like this as well as people who have lots of questions about less common types of pets. As libraries work to fit into less traditional roles the addition of a science corner can help bridge the gap between being a book warehouse and providing hands-on learning. Let us answer your questions on why building a Science Corner in your library can be an awesome addition!
Learning Outcomes

Instilling a love of science in your community.
Bringing in non-traditional users
Making your library valid in a future thinking world

About the presenters

Becky Van Den Berg works as the Young Adult Services Coordinator at Pine River Library in Bayfield, Colorado. She enjoys binging True Crime shows, bringing home way too many books to read and using inappropriate humor in awkward moments. Becky changed paths from Veterinary Medicine to English and loves that she can bring some of her passion for animals and their unique lessons to audiences across Colorado!

Michaela Wilson, MLIS, is the Public Services Librarian at Pine River Library in Bayfield, CO. After securing her Bachelors in Forensic Anthropology, libraries offered a diverse outlet for non-traditional connections. Her hobbies include escaping into fantasy novels, being outside with her horses, and watching horror movies like it’s Halloween year-round! In the library, she loves creating exemplary patron experiences for all ages and tying that back into her passion for science.

Moral Injury in Libraries: Nurturing Staff Well Being
2023-11-17 10:00 - 11:00
Session archive
Session handout
Other resources shared during the session

CAL Intellectual Freedom Committee
Urban Library Trauma Study
Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

Note: the recording was turned off for the Q&A portion to allow staff to feel comfortable asking questions.
Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion on creating a workplace where everyone feels like they belong and matter.

Our public and academic library panelists will provide a foundational overview of moral injury as well as offering solutions to cultivating a supportive environment.

Moral injury is a term originally rooted in the realm of psychological and emotional distress arising from the violation of one’s deeply ingrained moral and ethical values.

View additional archived and upcoming Mental Health & Wellness panels.
About the panelists:
Shannon Brennan (she/her/hers), is a children’s librarian at Bemis Public Library. In addition to planning and implementing programming for children with her ukulele, she is also the collection development librarian for JFICTION, E-READER, and the Parenting collections of Bemis. Shannon is passionate about early literacy and connecting libraries on a global level as co-chair of CAL’s International Library and Cultural Exchange (ILCE) Interest Group.
Beth Garboczi is a Customer Experience Librarian at Douglas County Libraries (Castle Pines & Roxborough) working primarily with adult services. She specializes in working with older adults and spends a lot of her time teaching new technology to fellow staff and patrons. Beth has been working in public libraries since the age of twelve and is passionate about intellectual freedom and mental health in library work.
Kara Lucas is a Public Services Librarian at Front Range Community College Westminster. She has a Master’s degree in Philosophy and enjoys philosophical discussion. She is interested in intellectual freedom, information literacy, and student engagement through outreach.

Alejandro Marquez (he/him), is a Collection Development Librarian at Auraria Library which provides academic resources for the University of Colorado Denver, the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Community College of Denver. He also served in the Peace Corps in El Salvador where he worked as a Municipal Development volunteer. His research interests include open scholarship and underserved communities.
Teresa McGinley (she/her/hers) is a collection development librarian at Auraria Library, which serves the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University Denver, and CU Denver. Prior to her position at Auraria, she worked as a librarian in the health sciences, focusing on health services research and public health. Her interests include open access, public health misinformation, and burnout in the helping professions.
Salah McKloskey (he/him) is a Collection Development Librarian at Auraria Library which serves the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Community College of Denver institutions. He specializes in STEM focused subject matter and has interests in emerging technologies, popular culture in media, and immigration and citizenship. Prior to his position at Auraria, Salah was an Outreach Librarian at the High Plains Library District.

Growing Readers Together: Wellington Public Library
2023-11-15 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.

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

Growing Readers Together: Outdoor Spaces with Grand County Library District
2023-10-26 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: High Plains Library District
2023-10-19 12:00 - 12:30

Growing Readers Together: Silverton Public Library
2023-10-05 10:00 - 10:30

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
