Friday, May 9 – 9:30-11:40 at the Maryland Library Association Conference in Ocean City:
Everyone knows apps and tablets can be entertaining for children of all ages, but did you know that they can be used as an educational tool as well? Join librarians from around the state as they share best practices for acquiring and incorporating apps and tablets into services and programming for children and their caregivers. Through large and small group discussions, you will learn techniques for using and evaluating the latest technologies to develop early literacy skills and enhance the story time experience for the families at your libraries.
Presentations by library teams :
• Phyllist Bontrager, BCPL – “I will be sharing about creative ways to enhance story times using the iPad or tablets. I will share some ebook ideas, ways I use iMovie, Keynote, Felt Board, and YouTube.”
• Carly Reighard, Frederick – “I will be sharing information about our Early Literacy and STEM iPads. They are kept in the library and are pre-loaded with educational games and eBooks. I can share some of our “top apps” and a bit about grant opportunities for eBooks/apps, as all of our purchased apps are grant funded. I’m also hoping to share information about a new and exciting technology/app based-project that will be part of our new Discovery Zone.”
• Daria Parry, Harford – “HCPL received a grant from the Morris Mechanic Foundation, and we are in the process of putting iPad minis in our three of our branches and our two mobile units for parents and caregivers to use in-house. Plans also include using them to enhance the story time experience.”
• Julie Ranelli, Jenny Gallagher, and Betsy Diamant-Cohen, Queen Anne’s and MGOL – “Jenny and I are testing the new Mother Goose on the Loose app from Software Smoothie, so we will be discussing our experience and demonstrating the app.”
• Sharon Lanasa, Dorchester – “I will be talking about our early learning iPad pilot program at Dorchester: in-library loans to parents/caregivers and young children; complementing traditional and off-site story times with tablets and apps; hits and misses with the pilot program; and, if time permits, perhaps incorporating a video of storytime use or patron use of the devices and apps.”
• Amanda Roberson, St. Mary’s – “I will present specific APPs and how they are connected to ECRR Practices that we share with parents during our H”APPY” Babies program.”