Sunday, April 23, 2023
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Library Services Team will be joining colleagues across the state for the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) Annual Conference 2023, April 26-28, 2023, at the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel & Conference Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Meet Assistant State Superintendent for the Division for Libraries and Technology, Dr. Darrell L. Williams, on Thursday, April 27, who will be speaking at noon in celebration of National Library Week.
In addition, the Library Services Team is participating in several presentations ranging from making poetry part of your library’s teen programs to learning the latest on the Wisconsin Public Library Facility Assessment project, as well as using crisis communications to protect your library’s reputation. The WAPL Annual Conference 2023 brings together the public library community to share big ideas and learn from each other through interactive breakout sessions and special events. Registration for the conference is required for attendance. The Library Services Team’s session details are as follows:
Thursday, April 27
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Location: KM Hutchinson
Wisconsin Public Library Facility Assessment Project - This program will update the public library community on the status of the ongoing Wisconsin Public Library Facility Assessment project. Find out what has been learned so far and provide feedback about library facilities in Wisconsin. DPI’s Library Services Team Director, Ben Miller, joins John Thompson, Kristen Anderson, Bill Wilson, Gregg Baum, Christy Monk.
Friday, April 28
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Location: KM Hutchinson
The Power of Poetry - Poetry has the power to provide comfort, to strengthen resilience during times of stress, to reduce depression and anxiety, and to provide words to better express our true selves. In this session, you will learn about the National Student Poets program, sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Emily Igwike will speak both about her journey to becoming the first person from Wisconsin to earn the Student Poet distinction, and the service project work she is doing to connect with Wisconsin youth through poetry. Jeni Schomber, Public Library Consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, will highlight innovative programs done by other libraries to inspire you to incorporate poetry in your teen programming.
8:30 -9:30 a.m.
Location: John Lynch/Lefeure
Navigating a Crisis – Is your library prepared in case of a crisis? All sorts of unexpected issues may arise in the day-to-day work of a library. Some crises can be prevented from happening, others cannot, but you can be prepared. DPI’s Library Services Team Director of Data and Communication, Beth Tomev, will help you learn how to develop a crisis communication plan and what steps to take to manage a crisis. While it might be impossible to avert a crisis, it is possible to minimize the damage and preserve your library's reputation.
We look forward to seeing you in Oshkosh!