Join a cohort of your colleagues to go through the Youth Services Basics training. You will do the course through the Maine State Library Niche Academy page. Outline of the course below. After each of the 4 sections, we'll meet as a group to discuss and ask questions on a Zoom call. Anyone who attends at least 3 of the 4 will receive a certificate of completion. The meetings are scheduled for 1:00 on: Feb. 28, March 28, April 25, May 23.

Course Outline

• Overview
  • Customer Service
  • Building Relationships with Youth and Families
  • Reference Interviews
  • Reader’s Advisory
  • Unattended Children
• Collection Development
  • Materials Selection
  • Selection Criteria
  • Selection Criteria Resources
  • Weeding the Collection
  • Diverse and Inclusive Collections
  • Diversity and Inclusion Resources
  • Book Challenges
• Programming
  • Creating and Implementing Programs
  • Keeping Records
  • Summer Library Programming
  • Program Evaluation
• Outreach
  • Library Outreach to Special Populations
  • Neurodivergence, Disabilities and Other Conditions
  • Community Partners
  • Community Asset Mapping

Meeting #1

Early Childhood

• Introduction to Early Childhood Basics
• Developmental Information
  • Learning Begins at Birth
  • Brain Development
  • Every Child Ready to Read: Early Literacy Framework
  • Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play
• Collection Development
  • Key Components
  • Non-book Collections
  • Special Collections
  • Materials for Children with Special Needs
• Early Childhood Spaces
  • Key Components
• Programming
  • Early Literacy Programming
  • Toddler Storytime General Outline
  • Preschool Storytime General Outline
  • Screen Time Guidance for 0-5
• Community Engagement
  • Serving Parents and Childcare Providers
  • Partnerships
  • Outreach

Meeting #2

School-Age Children

• Introduction to School-Age Basics
• Developmental Information
  • Physical Development
  • Cognitive (Brain) Development
  • Emotional Development
  • A Note About Tweens
• Collection Development
  • School-Age Collection Contents
• School-Age Spaces
  • Key Components
• Programming
  • Creating and Implementing Programs
  • Types of School-Aged Programming
  • Promoting Programs
• Community Engagement
  • Community Outreach and Partnerships

Meeting #3

Tweens and Teens

• Introduction to Tween and Teen Basics
• Developmental Information
  • Breakdown of Ages and Stages
  • Tween and Teen Development
• Collection Development
  • Tween and Teen Collections Contents
  • Collection Maintenance Tips
• Tween and Teen Spaces
  • Key Components
• Programming
  • Connected Learning
  • Connected Learning Resources
  • Creating and Implementing Programs
  • Programming Examples for Tweens and Teens
  • Promoting Programs
  • Technology Tips
• Community Engagement
  • Family Support
  • Educator Support
  • Outreach and Teen Engagement

Meeting #4