Unprogramming for #

Marge Loch-Wouters | Amy Koester

Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference 2014

Unprogramming: Recipes for Successful Programming

with School-Age Children & Teens

WHY YOU PROGRAM FOR

KIDZ?

Programming Motivations

1. Bring people in

2. Entertain

3. Highlight collections

4. Support literacy

5. Develop interests

6. Engage community

BUT THERE ARE

SO MANY PITFALLS

I WANT TO

PROGRAM...

Programming Pitfalls

1. Program fatigue

2. Time and staff

3. Money

4. Participation

5. Boredom

6. Staff disinterest

Allow me to share my secret recipe for

UNPROGRAMMING

Unprogramming Benefits

1. Perspective

2. Balance

3. Engagement

4. Books

How does what I’m doing connect kids to…

★a book or books;

★an author or illustrator;

★ the library and our services;

★some aspect of kids’ interests that can

connect back to the library?

Space Trip (shhh, disaster!) Unprogramming with Kids

DVD: Traveler’s Guide to the

Planets (NatGeo)

Intro: DVD and then a crash landing!

Activities:

★ Decide planet

characteristics

★ First Aid with Stickers

★ Pick a robot helper

★ Build a lego shelter

★ Test real astronaut food

Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

The Composer is Dead!: Unprogramming with Kids

Book: The Composer is

Dead, Lemony Snicket

Intro: Interactive reading

Activities:

★Exploring instruments

in the orchestra

★Rubber band orchestra

Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

Library Camp-Out Unprogramming with Kids

Book: Scary Stories to Tell

in the Dark - Alvin

Schwartz

Intro: Silent Reading

Activities:

★Families make tents

★Reading

★Scary stories

★Walking s’mores

Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

Anime Club: Unprogramming with Teens

Media: Manga and Anime

Intro: Icebreaker; Favorite

new anime

Activities:

★Anime board game

★Drawing manga

★Candy sushi

★Cosplay

★Social time

Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

Dr. Who Party: Unprogramming with Teens

Book: DVDs and books

Intro: rolling the dice

Activities:

★Duct -tape bowties

★Sonic Screwdriver

making

★Dr. Who Jeopardy

Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

Chat & Chew: Unprogramming with Teens

Book: Any

Intro: Icebreaker; Share

new noteworthy titles

(awards, lists)

Activities:

★Round robin book talks

★Book speed dating

★Sticky note reading

recs

★Social time Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative

commons licensed

Hey Girl.

I love the

way your

programs

make kids

smile.

And they're

so simple,

they still

leave time

for us to

cuddle.

#unprogramming

You got this.

More unprogramming

ideas?

Visit our Pinterest board for more

unprogramming inspiration!

http://goo.gl/O6NKb

Questions?

#wwwc14 #unprogramming

Thank you, Wisconsin!

Contact Us

Marge Loch-Wouters:

marge@lacrosselibrary.org

@lochwouters

http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com

Amy Koester:

akoester@stchlibrary.org

@amyeileenk

http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com