I attended all the live online sessions and completed the assigned homework for this class. I learned many tools for creating story times that embrace early literacy skills. The session on the importance of play resonated with me, and I have been encouraging parents to embrace play with their children.
I found the speakers to be extremely informative. They provided a lot to think about, along with inspiration on how to improve within my role at the library.
One of my favorite speakers was Alyssa Jewel. Her passion for her career was clearly evident. She provided useful tools and ideas to transfer into my own work. I also found the Sensory-Friendly story times session to be enlightening. Including digital literacy was another topic presented, and this is an area in which I am aware of my own need for growth.
I worked on the assignments. They provided the opportunity to reflect on my own programming and think critically about what is going well and what can be improved. In addition to thinking about programming that is already in place, I developed a plan to collaborate with a local assisted living facility in the hopes of starting an intergenerational story time. I have the steps laid out, and I am aiming to reach out to them before this year comes to a close.
Overall, this class was a wonderful resource for those of us who work as Children’s Librarian.