Announcing the 2023 ILOC Keynotes

2023 Theme: Productive Partnerships

We're pleased to announce the three keynote presentations for ILOC 2023. Read on to find out more and join us Jan. 26 to hear these presentations live!

Morning Keynote:

Library as Movement
R. David Lankes

The library is a platform to help communities improve. This platform must be collaborative. A place where librarians work directly with community members, companies, institutions, and others. It is these collaborations that drive positive change. This idea transforms the library as a place with services, to a movement – a joint effort to constantly advocate for positive change. The role of the librarian is as facilitator weaving together increasingly divided populations. The result is a library that reflects the unique nature and aspirations of a people looking to make a better future.

Lunch Keynote:

Partnering with ISU’s 99-County Campus: Educating Iowans and Changing Lives
John D. Lawrence & Constance C. Beecher

Libraries are natural partners for our mission to engage Iowans through research-based education. Our focus is to assist families, early childcare providers, youth, older adults and communities to access information that empowers them to live their best lives. We want to reach audiences that have not always been able to benefit from educational programming, with the goal of promoting health and wellbeing in our communities.

Evening Keynote: 

Not from Around Here: Partnerships with and for New People in Your Community
David J. Peters

As Iowa towns grow, shrink, and change, a big part of a community’s success (or lack thereof) will be how it engages newcomers to the area. Dr. David Peters, Professor of Sociology at Iowa State University, will share insights from the Iowa Small Towns Project survey on how small towns can engage newcomers in community projects.

The full schedule of breakout sessions will be announced early January. Register at the link below to reserve your spot; we look forward to seeing you on January 26!

Register for ILOC

Save the Dates: STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits

Coming to your in District in March!

The State Library is hitting the road for STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits to give you ideas on how to incorporate STEM concepts at your library and find inspiration for your library's summer reading program, all while connecting in person with your fellow librarians.

Each district will host the events over a two-day period. The first day will feature a full day of STEM Fair activities, while day two will include a half-day Summer Reading Summit. Attendees will be able to register for one or both events. Mark your calendars and plan to join us when we visit your district:

• Central | March 2-3 | Ames Public Library
• North Central | March 6-7 | Algona Public Library
• Northwest | March 9-10 | Cherokee Yacht Club
• Northeast | March 20-21 | Cedar Falls AEA
• Southwest | March 23-24 | Anita Community Center
• Southeast | March 27-28 | Coralville Public Library

Registration opens soon; sign up for the Pop YS Newsletter at the link below to be the first to know!

Sign up for Pop YS Newsletter

Newly Added Events

Library for the Blind (January 2023): Library Overview and Partnership Opportunities

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Learn more about the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, including information about patron eligibility, programs, services and resources for patrons and libraries.

More Information & Registration

Pop YS Live (January 2023): It's All About the Tweens 

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2022, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Tweens – ages 9-11 – that notoriously hard-to-program-for group! Many libraries struggle to engage 4th-6th graders at an age-appropriate level, so we want to encourage you with some practical solutions for collection development and programming just for them. Join Janeé for this webinar full of fresh and fun ideas to engage even the surliest not-a-kid-not-a-teen.

More Information & Registration

Additional Upcoming Events

Check It Out | December 2022

Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Check It Out is back! Join us for our webinar series spotlighting the best new books for ages 0-18. Join Janeé every month for booktalks on the latest titles. Check It Out! gives you collection development ideas and looks at trends in publishing and more. 

More Information & Registration

All Iowa Reads 2023: Author Presentations

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

All Iowa Reads 2023 launches this January with a very special webinar with the authors of the All Iowa Reads selections.

For adults: How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu | For teens: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley | For kids: The Golden Hour by Niki Smith. 

More Information & Registration

Iowa Public Libraries Psychosocial Needs Assessment Results with Dr. Beth Wahler

Thursday, February 9, 2023, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

This project involved the participation of many public library staff and administrators around the state in surveys and focus groups designed to help us understand the psychosocial needs (mental health, poverty-related needs, substance use, housing instability, etc.) of library patrons and how those needs are impacting staff. In this presentation, Dr. Wahler will review the findings of the needs assessment and will discuss the recommendations and next steps.

More Information & Registration

Fresh Kernels!

Kernels! eGame Program Building: Join Sam Bouwers (State Library of Iowa) and Josh Gerard (Brooklyn Public Library) as they chat about how Brooklyn Public Library started an eGaming program.

Kernels! Storytime Play Props: Join Janeé Jackson-Doering (State Library of Iowa) and Keri Weston-Stoll (Waukee Public Library) as they chat about fun props and play for storytimes and storytime outreach

View All Kernels

Webinar Archive

View in IA Learns to access the evaluation & see the CE Hours on your transcript. Watch the whole recording, click next in the upper-right, and follow the prompts to get to the evaluation. Remember to type something in every field before hitting "Save."

IA Learns Login

If you don't track CE hours, or only want to view for informational purposes, you can also view recorded webinars on the State Library of Iowa CE Team YouTube Channel. Subscribe for alerts when new content is added!

State Library CE YouTube Channel

External CE Training Opportunities

The Wyoming State Library maintains a great list of CE events going on around the country. It's a good place to browse if you're looking for hours, or something on a specific topic. Our thanks to our colleagues in Wyoming for compiling this list. Please note, all times listed are in Mountain Time.

Wyoming State Library Training Calendar

Watch a course from that list or another CE training offered by someone other than the State Library of Iowa? Please complete the "Request for External CE Form" within 45 days of participating in the training.

Request for External CE Credit

Click Here for more information. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/33dcbb5