Supercharged Storytimes for All: Frequently Asked Questions
- Training and Registration Info
- Meet the Trainers
- FAQ
- General SSA Info (WebJunction)
When and where are the trainings?
This round of SSA training will begin in April, 2021 and conclude in May, 2021. Sessions will be conducted weekly on Wednesdays from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm beginning April 21 and concluding May 19. These five training sessions will be fully online. The second one on April 28 will be recorded as opposed to live like the others.
Who is conducting the training?
The training program will be conducted by Valle Blair. Valle is a retired Children’s Librarian and Youth Services Consultant for the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System in Western NY. She began her career in 2000 as a staff member of the Children’s Department at the James Prendergast Library in Jamestown, NY. She earned her MLS in 2005 from the School of Information and Library Science at the University at Buffalo. After earning her degree, she was appointed as supervisor of the Children’s Department. In 2012, she became the full time Youth Services Consultant with the System and retired after more than 20 years in 2020. She always enjoyed helping the youngest patrons fulfill their library needs and providing ideas, help, and training to youth library staff.
What are the learning objectives?
Participants will learn:
- Strategies for emphasizing the six early literacy components (oral language, phonological awareness, print awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary, and background knowledge)
- Ways to engage parents and caregivers
- Approaches to storytime assessment
- How to supercharge storytimes through an equity lens
- How to grow intentionality and build a peer community
What is the estimated time commitment?
Participants should expect to spend an average of three hours per module (this includes participating in the live session and applying what was learned). There are a total of six modules, and they are typically presented over six weeks. Trainers, however, can customize their training schedules.
Will contact hours be provided?
Yes! Upon training completion, participants will receive a certificate for professional development contact hours (one hour of instruction = one contact hour).
Should I get permission from administration to participate?
Yes! Please be sure to check with administration before registering. There is a significant time commitment, and it is important your supervisor is aware and on board.
Can I register for just a couple of the modules?
No. Participants are required to register and complete the full training (all six modules). If you think you will miss one or two of the live sessions (especially any in-person sessions), please check with the trainer before registering. Online sessions will be recorded and available for you to view if needed.
I took Ready to Read training. Should I register for SSA?
Yes! While on the surface Ready to Read at New York Libraries training and SSA are both early literacy-focused trainings, they are actually quite different. Ready to Read training components explore a wide variety of topics, including community assessment, partnerships and outreach, and early learning spaces. SSA, on the other hand, is deeply focused in the development and delivery of storytimes. Ready to Read is typically offered as in-person training, while SSA will be offered in convenient online or blended formats with the added bonus of an active, statewide online learning community. Even experienced youth services librarians reported benefiting from participating in the SSA pilot!
The Supercharged Storytimes for All project is supported in part with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Sharon Phillips is the Project Director for
Ready to Read at New York Libraries. For more information,
contact Sharon at 518-486-4863; Fax: 518-486-5254.