WSL Updates for January 14, 2016 Special Edition

January 14, 2016

Volume 12, January 14, 2016 for the WSL Updates mailing list Special Edition – Continuing Education Alert The next regular edition of WSL Updates will be published on January 21, 2016. Topics include: 1) GAINING STEAM WITH LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3® 2) FREE RESOURCES FOR WASHINGTON EDUCATORS WEBINAR 3) VIRTUAL REFERENCE CONFERENCE 4) STORYTIME SHARING EXTRAVAGANZA 5) BECOME A STATE-APPROVED CHILD CARE TRAINER 6) MORE CE RESOURCES 7) 2016 CONTINUING EDUCATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT 8) 2016 CONFERENCE DATES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) GAINING STEAM WITH LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3® Washington State Library announces Gaining STEAM workshops – a Lego Mindstorms EV3® experience.

Gaining STEAM workshops are offered as a hands-on 6-hour robotics building and programming workshop to prepare library staff to host programs in their communities.
The workshops are for beginners; no previous robotics or programming experience is needed. Library staff from all types of libraries are welcome.

Gaining STEAM workshops are happening at:

January 25 – Port Angeles
January 27 – Vancouver
February 3 – Sedro-Woolley
February 4 – Anacortes
February 5 – Marysville
February 11 – Tumwater
February 12 – Issaquah
March 2 – Ritzville
March 3 – Spokane
March 4 – Spokane
March 14 – Richland
March 15 – Clarkston
March 17 – Moxee

So, get STEAMed: register here. Space is limited, please register now. Starting in May 2016, the Lego Mindstorms EV3® kits used for this training will be offered for circulation to public and tribal libraries around the state. Details on how to reserve the kits for local library programs will be announced in the spring. Lunch will be one and one-half hours and on your own. A week before the session date for which you’ve registered, you will receive an email with nearby restaurant suggestions. Our goal is to provide useful and fun Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) training for library staff throughout the state. Gaining STEAM is an outreach program provided by the Washington State Library in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). It provides another tool to enrich Washington State communities through the libraries that serve them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) FREE RESOURCES FOR WASHINGTON EDUCATORS WEBINAR Attention Washington Educators: Did you know Washington's middle school, high school, and community and technical colleges have access to the Microsoft Imagine Academy (formerly Microsoft IT Academy) program (which may include DreamSpark) and Microsoft Office Certifications for free?

WSL is hosting a webinar on Free Computer Science Instructional Resources for Washington Educators: Microsoft Imagine Academy and DreamSpark for grades 6 - 12 and Community & Technical College programs on Thursday, January 28, 2016 from 3:00 – 4:15 p.m. PST
To learn more about this free program offer and how you can get started, join us on January 28.

Please click here to register for the webinar. Through a partnership with Washington State Library (WSL) and Microsoft, school and campus libraries can provide free access to courses on Digital Literacy, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Technology Associate, and Computer Science. Both instructors and students can use these programs for free. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) VIRTUAL REFERENCE CONFERENCE Does your library have a Virtual Reference program? Have you considered adding virtual reference to your library’s toolkit? Washington State Library plans to hold Washington’s first conference on the topic of virtual reference. We’ve lined up a great keynote speaker, Aaron Schmidt.

Plan to attend Friday, March 18, 2016 at the Highline College Campus, in Des Moines, Washington.

If you have questions, please contact Nono Burling at [email protected]. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) STORYTIME SHARING EXTRAVAGANZA Are you interested in free storytime training and networking opportunities? Would you like to gain some experience presenting storytimes? If so, don’t miss the Storytime Sharing Extravaganza. All storytime presenters (and those who dream of becoming storytime presenters) are invited. Share and learn from colleagues in the Puget Sound area. Pick up some tips on ways to effectively integrate early literacy skills into storytime programs. Bring something for an activity showcase (optional) and be prepared to learn while having fun during Guerrilla Storytime. Light refreshments will be provided. Spread the word – a good time will be had by all!

When: Friday, January 22, 2016 from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Where: Moore Branch, Tacoma Public Library, 215 S 56th Ave., Tacoma, WA 98408
Cost: Free

RSVP: Send an email to Kendra Jones at [email protected] if you plan to attend. Optional: Include up to three of your favorite artists, albums, rhymes, or songs that you like to use in storytimes in your e-mail. Kendra will compile everyone’s favorites into a take-home list for attendees. Questions? Contact Kendra Jones at [email protected]. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) BECOME A STATE-APPROVED CHILD CARE TRAINER Are you a Washington State-approved trainer or would you like to become one? Washington State’s Department of Early Learning (DEL) is the state agency which administers training for child care center staff. DEL is excited to announce a new streamlined approach that will enable more librarians and library staff to deliver training to child care providers. The revised process seeks to:

Improve the experience of potential state-approved trainers;
Increase the number of qualified trainers;
Improve access and opportunities for training in rural and multilingual communities.

DEL training requirements, called “State Training and Registry System (STARS)”, have been in place since 1999. For additional information visit sos.wa.gov/q/DELSTARS. Questions? Contact Holly Wyrwich at [email protected]. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) MORE CE RESOURCES Charities Program, Office of the Secretary of State – training and resources for nonprofit organizations in Washington. Municipal Research Services Center (MRSC) – good source of webinars on Washington government topics. National Network of Libraries of Medicine Pacific Northwest Region, Educational Opportunities – a variety of classes and other events on health and medical topics. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) 2016 CONTINUING EDUCATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT If you aren’t seeing anything in this special edition that works for you, please let us know about your CE needs. The Washington State Library, in conjunction with the Washington Library Association, is launching a survey to assess the training needs of library staff in Washington State.

The survey will remain open until Thursday, January 28, 2016.
Simply click on this link.

Please share this survey widely with your colleagues. The information gathered will be used to plan training opportunities. Questions? Contact Carolyn Petersen at [email protected] or 360-570-5560. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) 2016 CONFERENCE DATES Ladies and gentlemen, mark your calendars! (Warning – Dates on the calendar may be closer than they appear.) Acquisitions Institute at Timberline Lodge, May 14 – 17, Mt. Hood, Oregon American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, June 23 – 28, Orlando, Florida Association of Rural & Small Libraries Annual Conference, October 27 – 29, Fargo, North Dakota Building Bridges, the Washington State Higher Education Technology Conference, is scheduled for April 14 & 15, 2016 at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane. Registration is open now with early bird discount rate available through February 29, 2016. Northwest Council for Computer Education 2016 Conference, February 24 – 26, Seattle Public Library Association Conference (PLA), April 5 – 9, 2016, Denver, Colorado Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA), August 3 – 5, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Research Institute for Public Libraries, September 30 – October 3, 2016 in Denver, Colorado Washington Library Employees (WALE) 25^th Annual Conference, October 24 – 26, Chelan. WALE is a Washington Library Association Interest Group. Washington Library Association (WLA) Annual Conference, April 27 – 29, Spokane --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information on CE events and to register (unless otherwise linked above), visit the WSL Training Calendar at sos.wa.gov/q/training. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Washington State Library has gone social! Friend/follow us at: Facebook: on.fb.me/FBWSL; Twitter: twitter.com/WAStateLib.
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