Day 2 Schedule & Sessions

Jennifer Humphrey is the Youth Services assistant manager at Carmel Clay Public Library in Carmel, Indiana, where she oversees all youth programming (birth through grade 5) and is the main liaison with the local elementary schools. She has over 25 years of collection development experience, covering print and audiovisual materials. She assumed responsibility for the beginning- reader collection ten years ago and has helped align it to the public school curriculum ever since. Most recently she has reviewed this collection through the lens of the science of reading, tweaking it to better aid parents, kids, and teachers. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys reading, crafting, and gardening.

Reading scores in Iowa, and across the nation, are dismal. Iowa's Scott County Library System (SCLS) wanted to be part of the solution to encourage families to prioritize reading. Through research-based strategies known as the “Science of Reading”, and the help of local grant funding, SCLS is making a difference with a newly revamped and expanded “Learn to Read” collection. All librarians want kids to love reading, but kids won't love it if they can’t decode basic words. Learn how your library can leverage what libraries are already good at to equip the community and align with curriculum standards, no matter the budget.

Presenters: Christine Barth & Emily Haage

Christine Barth (above) has been a librarian in Iowa for 14 years and enjoys working with all ages of patrons. Her job description ranges from reader's advisory to local history to cataloging and more.  

Emily Haage is the Youth Services Coordinator at the Scott County Library System. She has spent the past 10 years silly dancing in story time, plotting programs for families of all ages, and helping every child find their "just right" book.

Take your library’s YouTube channel and social media to the next level by creating purposeful content that meets the needs of your community. This session explores how to define the needs of your library and utilize the strengths of your staff members. 

Participants will learn practical strategies to maximize impact, increase engagement, and elevate production quality without overwhelming staff or resources. Attendees will leave with an action plan that can be tailored to their library, creating a sustainable online presence. 

Presenter: Emerson Taylor

Emerson Taylor is the Youth Services Supervisor at Musser Public Library in Muscatine. Prior to becoming a librarian, Emerson spent 13 years teaching special education at the elementary and high school levels. He also traveled to libraries across Iowa performing literacy-based music programs through his “Mr. Taylor Sings” concerts. From leading baby storytimes and adventure story hikes to creating engaging YouTube content (Sing Some Songs with Miss Becca and Mr. Taylor) youtube@musserlibrary, Emerson prioritizes meaningful, memorable experiences that support children’s literacy and development.

Who doesn't like free stuff and snacks? Well, that's what "Teen Book Box" is all about (plus Readers Advisory and increasing your Juvenile and Young Adult collection circulation). Teen Book Box is an in-library book club for students in grades 6-12 where students are matched with books based on a short questionnaire about their likes/ dislikes, interest, and vibes. In this session, we will break down how Teen Book Box works--from how to get started to what your book club could look like and evaluating results. 

Presenter: Emery Bunkers

For the last three years, Emery Bunkers has been creating programs and spaces to connect with children and teens as the Youth Services Librarian at the Kling Memorial Library in Grundy Center, Iowa. "Building relationships is at the heart of what I do, and I enjoy finding fun, hands-on ways to bring stories and ideas to life."

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. It is a vital area of early childhood development and naturally ties into early literacy skills. We will explore practical ways to encourage and implement SEL skills into programming and day-to-day ways to support our youngest patrons and their caregivers. 

Presenter: Allison Richert

Allison Richert has worked at the Burlington Public Library in the youth department for nearly 10 years. With a background in elementary education, psychology, and human services, "I am very passionate about mental health, diversity in children's literature, and advocating for those who need the most support." 

Transform your Makerspace into a vibrant, welcoming hub where library guests, both in person or virtual, can enjoy programs that are accessible, engaging, and unforgettable! This lively session shows youth librarians how small, thoughtful adjustments and easy-to-use tips can elevate existing library programs into hybrid workshops, without extra budget or prep time. Drawing from the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled’s Top 10 Makerspace Workshops since 2020, participants gain real success stories, adaptable learning modules, fresh program ideas, templates, checklists, and practical strategies that inspire community connections! For attending the live presentation, you can schedule a “Storytime Comes to You” program for your library.

Presenter: Denise Bean

Denise Bean is a youth programming advocate specializing in accessible, hands-on library experiences for children and families. She has led hybrid Makerspace Workshops that combine creativity, STEM learning, and inclusive practices, ensuring every child can explore and create. Denise equips librarians with practical strategies, ready-to-use templates, and inspiring ideas to make family programming welcoming, fun, and impactful.

From "Wings of Fire" to "Watership Down", graphic novels are an integral part of the public library and continue to grow in popularity. In this session, participants will learn what it means to be disabled and how that diverse experience can be observed and identified in graphic novels for children and teenagers. Topics will include: a short history of disability rights in the United States, a showcase of graphic novels with disability representation for your collection, and resources for finding and evaluating graphic novels (and other books) with disability representation.

Presenter: Elizabeth Lovell-Martin

Elizabeth Lovell-Martin is a librarian at the West Des Moines Public Library. She has her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Sciences, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a focus on family and health sciences. She is an avid reader of graphic novels for all ages and a lover of yapping, so presentations like this are her jam.