Unconference

Went to two sessions today...I guess you could say one session and one "unsession."  The Unconference was an unscripted event for attendees to get together and talk about topics we wanted to talk about.  There were lots of great topics mentioned included ebooks, career paths, hackerspaces (I know...I didn't know what they were either), but I ended up joining a table talking about programming for teens and adults.  It was a pretty good discussion...heard some great ideas including the following:

• partner with area teachers to find the local ringleaders in the high school or middle school and get them involved at the library.  Their friends will soon follow.
• require all teen volunteers to participate in the summer reading program
• do a round table with local librarians and share just one great program idea (a little more formal than your typical round table
• if teen volunteers are scheduled to work and there is not much to do, tell them to find a nook and have them read for their SRP goal
• it's always good to get a local person to come give a talk.  Patrons like being asked to help and patrons like listening to someone other than you.
• we also talked about how important advocacy is in your library.
• learned about the best games to use in gaming tournaments (Smash Brothers / Marvel vs. Capcon 3 / Double Dash / Super Street Fighter 4)
• talked about how great it is to have animals in your library, snakes are a good choice
• we discussed having a Read-a-thon as a money maker, like those walk-a-thons you remember from school
• someone reminded us all of the website www.librarygrants.blogspot.com as a source for library grants.
• one way to do prizes is to have a generic box of "really great things" (read, leftover crap you can't get rid of) for teens or kids to pick from for any time you need a reading incentive
• someone mentioned the amazing blog The Unquiet Librarian 
• I learned that the Smithsonian Institute has a lot of great online resources for educators
• Of course we talked about Pinterest and how you can make a Pinterest board and have the teens follow you...you can talk about crafts, books, and anything else they might be interested in.  An aside...Pinterest is a force to be reckoned with.  Must pin more!
• One librarian in California did an awesome program with his local college...he partnered with the Physics department and did a program all about how to build rollar coasters!
• What about this for an idea?  Build mini-weapons of mass destruction?  Adventure Club program anyone?   I could get a military guest to come into talk to round out the program!
• someone suggested Cupcake Chess...although I try to stay away from pumping kids full of sugar, but that's just me.  Sugar definately makes for fun, easy programming...I will say that.
• Oooo...listen to this!  One librarian suggested having a bike for mobile service!  Now I can totally see myself biking to the close schools for booktalking!
• Someone mentioned renting a Star Lab...I mentioned Google Sky which I'm in love with
• someone said teens really need solid relationship information...so maybe a dating without drama program?  Could use this website:  http://www.teenrelationships.org/abuse/
• I met Thomas Vose and he shared this article about Dungeons and Dragons, after I talked about how you don't have to know anything to have a great D and D program...oh the good old days of Dungeons and Dragons lockins!
• More game ideas...Portal, Mindcraft, Roblox (this is Legos!  Must remember to look up!)
• What about this?  Someone suggested doing a pumpkin patch for library families!  I'd be all over that if Diane would let me!
• technology classes taught by the teens.  Unfortunatly, I'd be the first one to sign up for Twitter.  ;)
• Try dry erase contact paper for the walls of your Teen Area!  Or chalk board paint!
• Or how about some moss graffiti?
• Also heard about Karen Jensen's Blog

After that session I approached some friendly looking folks and was like "um...can I join you all for lunch?" and I did and we had cheap Mexican fare and it was maaaaaaaaaarvelous.