Change the World, Bring it! CLA 2015

Ignite! 
Connecticut Library Association Annual Conference 2015
Change the World!

(made during a creative-break and given-away)

Every spare minute over the past two months has been all about preparing for CLA 2015.  Planning a presentation with two friends and NOT about flannels - OMGolly! And we were challenging ourselves to present in a brand new format - the IGNITE style.  Tell a story to get your message across, make it personal and do it with 20 slides within 5 minutes.  Yikes!

We each did 2 Ignites. Kari Ann St Jean, my usual partner in crime was very brave and courageous offering the first Ignite done at a CLA conference...ever!  (applause!)  

Kari Ann, Head of Children's Services - Avon Free Library and a natural born storyteller, presented "What's your bus?" and "The Moment" both providing insight into personal growth and a successful, caring management style.  

Michelle Kaminsky, Head Librarian, Children's Services East Hampton Public Library is new to our troupe and dug deep into her past to present "Transition" - you know, all the jobs you've had and all the skills you've gathered to finally land the job you've wanted for so long! Her second Ignite was "Creativity" - learning the strengths of your staff through the common thread of creativity.  

(best badges ever!  thank you CLA 2015)

My first Ignite was "Diversity & Inclusion where I addressed the immediate need for diversity in our books and materials in our collections due to the fact that 2014 is the first year in U.S. history where the minority became the majority in babies under the age of one.  My second Ignite was "Mother Goose saved my life" a personal reminder to find focus and know why you do what you do in your core programs.  

Favorite quote of the morning from long time librarian friend, Heather Baker, "Always get in your room as soon as you can to set up".  Yep, we had technical difficulties despite having a rehearsal just days before "with everything working smoothly".  Heather came to our rescue. Thank you again and again Heather Baker.  

Best surprise of the day...Miss Meg from Miss Meg's Storytime ! Flannel Friday friends met in the real world and hugged!  So nice to spend time with librarians Meg and Stefanie - the younger generation.  They gave me confidence - the world is in good hands.   

While we presented in the Mystic Marriot on the Connecticut shore...Piper stayed in the rolling hills of Glastonbury with a life long friend.  I picked her up the next day and just wanted to stay.  Doesn't that hammock shout READ BOOKS HERE?  Thank you SMG.  

I do all my own Library stunts!

Organizing for the Flannel Panel   

Next week I'm headed to the Connecticut Library Association Conference to rock and roll with two of my favorite librarians, Kari Ann St Jean and Heather Baker.
We're presenting The Flannel Panel!


A little history on these two:  Kari Ann has moved on from my library system to be a department head in a neighboring town library, (so happy for her...so sad for me), and the inimitable Heather Baker is just a few towns away.  Heather is a super-brain Head of Children's Dept. librarian.  She is one of the smartest people I know.  Both of these women give generously to their communities, their staff and the collaborative development of librarians in Connecticut and everywhere.  If you come - they will teach, share, assist, provide and make you laugh.  There is a kindness in these women that you don't find just anywhere. And thank heavens they have my back next week!!

)

(kari ann & jane) 





We've planned to display some of our flannel pieces and this year I made a little heading for our foam core display boards.  Oh how we love Amelia Bedelia (check out last years display boards)                                                                
                                                                                                                              (heather & jane)                                                                                                             

A thirty minute magical, fantastical, all-out-flannel story time will precede the 25 minute Q & A.  We are presenting at the end of the day which will allow us to stay longer if anyone wishes to stay. The panel will provide great tips and how-to's, behind-the-scenes flannel secrets, why magnets help, when to use cardboard, felt-in-a-box, felt-on-a-paint-stirrer, sunshines-on-sticks, the best easel and so much more.  We'll tie-in to the summer reading theme, (Dig into Reading), and present stories in-line with the Common Core SS and Every Child Ready to Read. Our hope is that you will go home with all the words and wisdom to confidently tell your own fantastical flannel stories, songs and rhymes.

There'll be guerrilla flannel tales for your entertainment if: A) you stay long enough and  B) we get Heather going.  This alone is worth the price of admission!
   

Some of my friends needed to get spiffed up before heading out to CLA.  

Little Mouse 

needed a stiff felt backing

Little Cat's Hats

needed stiff felt backs and some pizzaz

And Pete, 

well...he got new buttons

Pretty Groovy, eh?

Join us at CLA on April 30th -you know you want to!  

And then you can say....I went to the Flannel Panel because I FELT like it!

p.s. I've discovered that in the process of determining what to do, bring, share and present for the conference I overload myself with creative, inspiring new and sometimes old ideas.  Research is wonderful!  I love learning.  This prep work motivates many new ideas.  It's falling in love with my career all over again - you know...that seductive tug - just one more click, and I link to one more idea or pinterest page, or a Flannel Friday friend's blog post and NOW ...I want to include that in the presentation.   Heather is so in love with this process...she thinks it a good idea to be in "presenter-prep-mode permenantly".  In case I didn't tell you, she's younger and very high energy!  Today I am loading two easels into my car and picking up printed hand-outs, pinning my flannel pieces to my display boards...you know how it goes.  Just remember...I do all my own library stunts!!!  Oh, and what should I wear to the conference?