Youth Services News

Newsletters are archived on the OLIS website.

Last week instructions for downloading this year’s SRP Guide from iREAD was sent to the SRP contact at each library (in most cases the children's librarian/head of youth services). Please check with your SRP contact for download instructions. If you do not know your library's contact or if no one at your library received instructions, please contact Danielle at danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov.

Also:

• In lieu of the voucher process, OLIS will be printing and distributing early literacy, children's, teen, and adult/all ages posters. SRP contacts will be receiving a form in the next few weeks to submit your library's poster request.
• You can purchase additional iREAD materials at your own cost in the iREAD Store with the credentials your Summer Reading Contact creates when downloading the Guide.
• For more information on this year's program, you may view the iREAD State Partners Webinar Recording and the Presentation Slides from this past September.

Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm

Location: Cranston Public Library Central

Presenter(s): Bradley Learning Exchange

Every 11 minutes, someone in the United States dies by suicide. Suicide is a preventable public health problem and prevention depends in large part on appropriate screening and response. Knowing a few simple questions to ask may save someone’s life. The clinicians at Bradley Hospital designed a training program specifically for individuals who do not have a background in mental health. This class is offered to anyone who may wish to learn more about suicide prevention. All library staff are welcome; please share with colleagues.

Lifetime Mental Wellness Begins in Childhood with The Greatest 8™

Date: Friday, December 3, 2021

Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm

Location: Zoom

Given the isolation experienced with COVID, the need for mental health promotion in young children could not be greater. The Greatest 8™ is a novel primary prevention effort that teaches parents and caregivers a set of 8 research-based skills (associated with lifetime mental wellness) that they can be teach children in their charge ages 0-8 years. The Greatest 8™ provides online educational resources (website, podcasts, blogs, etc.) that busy parents can obtain anytime 24/7 as well as a texting service (available by texting Greatest8 to 401-297-3020) that provides weekly, age-appropriate tips and activities to help children build these 8 skills. Learn more about The Greatest 8™ skills and ways we can support parents in teaching them to their children. The Greatest 8™ is a collaborative effort of the Washington County Coalition for Children, University of Rhode Island, Brown University, and South County Health.

New dates! This training will now run January 6 - June 2, 2022. If you were unable to begin this training in December now is the time to register.

Are you

• Wondering how to support your community through the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic?
  
• Concerned about the emotional and mental well-being of your community?

• Looking for new ways to reconnect with children, teens, and families who have yet to return to using library services?
• Thinking about how to reach the most vulnerable youth and families in your community?
• Worried about how you might respond to future crises?

If you have found yourself asking any of these questions, or if you just want to freshen your skill set, please join us for Preparing to Support Communities in Crisis Preparing to Support Communities in Crisis. This training will not only give you the opportunity to practice new skills and tools, but will also give you access to experienced, national facilitators and a community of practice that will support you through your learning.

This training is open to all RI public library staff who work with youth and families. Registration is limited to 25 participants and will be open until December 30. The training begins January 6, 2022. Please contact Danielle Margarida at danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov with any questions related to this training.

It's time to start taking a closer look at the children's books of 2021. Participating in the Mock Newbery is an opportunity to read the newest children’s books and to discuss them with other passionate readers. A letter certifying participation is available for those applying the Mock Newbery program towards professional development.

Program registration: https://tinyurl.com/newbery22

Mock Newbery webpage: http://www.olis.ri.gov/youth/newbery/index.php

Mark your calendar, registration coming soon!

• January 18, 2pm: Children's Services Roundtable Program Swap & Share (Zoom) Register Now
  
• January 26, 10:30am: Young Adult Roundtable Program Swap & Share (Zoom) Register Now
  
• February 10, 1pm: Online Privacy for Youth (Zoom)
• Winter (dates TBA): Mind in the Making Training (8 weeks, Zoom)
• March 4, Time TBA: New England Summer Summit (Zoom)
  
• March 29, 9:30am: Introduction to Trauma (in-person, Bradley Hospital Learning Exchange)
  
• April - May (dates TBA): Youth Development (6 weeks, Zoom)
• May 19, Time TBA (rain date May 26): Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife: Rhode Critter Kits (in-person, Acadia Management Area)

Resources for preparing policies and procedures addressing challenges of print materials, electronic materials, and programming.

• National Coalition Against Censorship: Resources for Librarians
• ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)
  
• OIF weekly newsletter. Subscribe for a round-up of news and resources related to intellectual freedom.
  
• OIF blog. Includes past newsletters and timely posts from a variety of contributors.
  
• Book Riot: How To Fight Book Bans and Challenges: An Anti-Censorship Tool Kit
• Project READY Module 24a. Many books that are currently being challenged are those written by authors (and center characters) who are Black or LGBTQ+. Modules 24a and 24b of Project READY provide information about why diverse collections are important and demonstrates how to develop effective collections that are diverse and inclusive.
• Project READY Module 24b
  

The 11th Annual Take Your Child to the Library Day will take place on Saturday, February 5, 2022 - though you can celebrate on any other date in February that your library chooses. Visit https://www.ctlibrarians.org/page/take for graphics, planning resources, and activity ideas.

Take Your Child to the Library Day (TYCLD) is an international initiative that encourages families everywhere to take their children to their local library. Launched in 2011 in Connecticut by librarians Nadine Lipman (Waterford Public Library, retired) and Caitlin Augusta (Stratford Library) with artist Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, TYCLD raises community awareness about the importance of the library in the life of a child, and promotes library services and programs for children and families.

Public librarians, school librarians and teachers who have experience with children in grades 3 - 6 are invited to join the Kids Reading Across RI (KRARI) Committee. KRARI committee members will select the 2022 book, help develop and facilitate virtual events and activities, and create a discussion guide and related resources for KRARI book discussions.

The second 2021/22 committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 15 at 4:30pm. It will be a virtual meeting using Zoom. There is no application process to join the committee and all are welcome!

Don't have time to participate in the KRARI committee, but have a few favorite books to recommend? Use the form below to suggest up to three books for 2022 consideration. The form will be open through Dec. 10 and you may submit as many forms as you like.

Email: danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov
Website: http://www.olis.ri.gov/
Location: 1 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401-574-9309 401-400-3006
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olisri
Twitter: @olisri