42nd Annual Long Island Library Conference:
Reach for the Stars – May 4, 2017
Conference Brochure
Session I (9am-10am) Session II (10:30am to 11:30am) Session III (3pm-4pm)
Session I: 9am to 10am
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA Support Staff
Title: Understanding & Coping with Racism in a Racially Charged Environment
Ms. Elaine Gross of ERASE Racism, a non-profit organization based on Long Island, will present strategies for coping with instances of racism, both at work and in our private lives. Ms. Gross will address the presence of structural racism and the biases that we are all sometimes guilty of without even realizing.
Speakers: Elaine Gross, MSW, President and founder of ERASE Racism
Location: Salons I, II, III Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Children’s Services Division
Title: Making Moo Moo & the Surprise Ending
Join children’s book author and illustrator Tim Miller as he shares his experience of making Moo Moo in a Tutu, his picture book debut as author and illustrator. Delve into the heart of the creative process as Tim discusses how a random idea about a cow crashing a ballet performance developed into a fully realized story by untangling the different obstacles that got in the way.
Speaker: Tim Miller grew up on a dairy farm in Snohomish, Washington with lots of cows and ducks, who inspired him to write this book (although none of them ever wore a tutu). After milking one too many cows, Tim moved east to study at the School of Visual Arts, where he earned his bachelor’s in cartooning and his master’s in art education. Moo Moo in a Tutu is Tim’s picture book debut as an author-illustrator. He lives in New York City, and you can visit him online at www.timmillerillustration.com.
Location: Salons IV, V, VI Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Outreach Committee
Title: Help for Homeless Library Patrons
Join us for a lively discussion on how librarians and support staff can improve their interactions with the homeless population that visit our libraries. Participants are encouraged to ask questions.
Speakers: Michael Giuffrida, Associate Director of Long Island Coalition for the Homeless
Jonathan Williams, Former NYPD Officer, current President & CEO of JW Security, LLC
Location: Salons VII, VIII, IX, X Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA DASL
Title: Hackathons, Online Challenges, and Maker Events for Patron-Driven Innovation: Reflections from Adelphi University’s Maker Events Experiences
In a shifting information delivery landscape, libraries have become hubs for media creation, socialization, and “patron-driven innovation.” Hackathons are programming, design, or
“maker” competitions to create new apps, tools, and ideas. Drawing from his experiences with the “Hack the Library 2015 App Hackathon” at Adelphi University, Stan Bogdanov will detail the process of organizing an academic library hackathon, including recommendations for implementation, getting university support, and legal considerations.
Speakers: Stanislav (Stan) Bogdanov, Senior Instructional Media Services Specialist, Adelphi University, Swirbul Library
Location: Nassau/Suffolk Room Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: New York Black Librarian’s Caucus
Title: Training it Up: How Do You Recruit, Retain and Train Non-credential Staff
As the library profession changes to respond to an increasingly digital environment, there is a growing need to recruit a more diverse and creative workforce. This program will provide participants with information on how to create a pipeline of talent for careers in librarianship from within their own walls.
Speakers: Tiffany Alston, Associate Director, West Bronx Libraries at NYPL
S. Michele Echols, Assistant Dean at the College of New Rochelle Gill Library
Diana M. Smith, SPHR Assistant Director, Human Resources at Queens Library
Sindi West, Talent Acquisition Partner at the New York Public Library
Location: Salons XI & XII Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA CATS
Title: The State of Technologies in Libraries
What were the technology trends of the past year? What new emerging technologies lie ahead? Three library professionals will talk tech with a mind towards how it all impacts our organizations.
Speakers: Chris DeCristofaro, President of CATS & Technology Librarian at Sachem Public Library
Nick Tanzi, CATS Past President
Robert Johnson, Director of Information, CATS Member at Large
Location: Roosevelt Salon, Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA New Adults Committee
Title: Board Games at the Library
An explosion of new and innovative board games has granted libraries a chance to tap into their growing popularity with a diverse audience. This program will give an overview of the board gaming and tabletop world, highlighting trends and the wide variety of games available. We will also discuss programming ideas, marketing to your audience, and gaming on a budget.
Speakers: Tim Sicurella, Sayville Library
Michael Buono, Patchogue Library
Brian Schwartz, Patchogue Library
Location: Vanderbilt Salon Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: Long Island Library Resources Council, SCLA Health Concerns Committee & NCLA Health Services Committee
Title: A Candid Look at Autism
This presentation will provide a candid look into what it is like to grow up, live and work with a diagnosis of autism; as presented by the author and illustrator, Michael Werner and aspiring motivational speaker Jonathan Civardi. Both gentlemen offer their personal insight into the world of autism and leave the audience with a clearer understanding of what it means to be a child growing up, as well as an adult with autism, living and working in today’s world. In a candid and engaging manner, Michael describes his childhood through his children’s book Aspey’s Adventures with Asperger’s. He clearly articulates his childhood experiences in a way so anyone can understand his personal struggles while also seeing the similarities of experiences and feelings from of their own childhood memories. Jonathan speaks about lessons learned, life after high school and stepping stones towards future goals he strives toward. Jonathan shares not only his story but a wealth of knowledge of resources for any library professional desiring to offer support to adults on the spectrum, their family and friends who seek to support their loved ones.
Speakers: Michael Werner, author/illustrator;
Jonathan Civardi, motivational speaker
Roseanne Task (moderator)
Location: Whitman Salon Lower Level
Session II: 10:30am to 11:30am
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA PR Programming Division
Title: DIY Adult Programming
Presentation/Handout
Programming on a budget can be challenging. From crafts to job and careers there are many program ideas and do-it-yourself projects that can help you cut costs. Resources, tips, and best practices will be shared.
Speakers: Heather Massa, East Rockaway Public Library
Location: Salons I, II, III Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA YASD
Title: Lauren Oliver on Reaching for the Stars
Lauren talks about the importance of work and practice and the necessity of redefining “failure” as apprenticeship. Her YA novel Before I Fall is being adapted for the big screen, in theaters this spring.
Speakers: Lauren Oliver, YA author.
Location: Salons IV, V, VI Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: PLDA
Title: Queens Library Transforms
Presenter Kelvin Watson will discuss wide-ranging innovations in transforming the Queens Library, and their efforts to radically transform and improve the way library patrons discover and access eResources through a Virtual Library System. This system will provide a best-of-breed solution for all their users, keeping the library’s doors open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and shift the balance of power from providers to libraries and the customers we serve. Libraries invest in and license a rich array of eResources for their customers, and are forced to rely on a complex set of proprietary interfaces to navigate and deliver them. Only the savviest users can keep track of many separate usernames, passwords, and website URLs. Even when this barrier is crossed, accessing the eResource (or finding out what is available) requires the user to follow links out of the library’s and into the provider’s system. These systems are often “walled gardens,” where the eResource provider, not the library, controls the user’s experience, which can lead to frustration and failure. The Virtual Library System allows users seamless access to digital materials, all within Queens Library’s own web and mobile interfaces, extending beyond the confines of any physical location and into people’s homes with the tools and devices that allow deeper interaction with the library’s offerings.
Speakers: Kelvin Watson, Director of Libraries, Broward County
Location: Salons VII, VIII, IX, X Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Media Services Division
Title: Independent Films and Public Libraries
A brief discussion about independent film-making on Long Island and how libraries and filmmakers can work together. A short film will be shown.
Speakers: Greg Pursino, Independent Film Maker. Mr. Pusino has created and hosted three cable shows in the last ten years. In addition, he has worked with Rachel Taub at the Farmingdale Public Library to create an independent film section.
Doug McAuliffe, Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library
Location: Salons XI, XII Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: Literacy Nassau
Title: Literacy Nassau’s Next Chapter Book Clubs
If your library is struggling to serve adults with developmental disabilities, this program might be right for you. Next Chapter Book Clubs, developed by Chapters Ahead, Inc., has created an effective model for inclusion-based book clubs that serve members regardless of their reading abilities. As the Long Island affiliate for Chapters Ahead, Literacy Nassau has planted and grown 25 book clubs and creative writing clubs throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. We train volunteers to facilitate these clubs and provide adapted literature, best practices, and ongoing support to libraries and other community organizations wishing to serve this population.
Speakers: Kim Nau, Program Director, Literacy Nassau
Location: Nassau/Suffolk Room Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA RASD Electronic Resources Committee
Title: Who’s Afraid of Podcasting? One Public library’s Leap into the Realm of Media Production
Presentation/Handout
Learn how to start your own library’s podcast. Equipment, online distribution, software, and general cost will be some of the topics covered by Chris Kretz, creator, and producer of The Long Island History Project and In the Stacks, a library podcast from the Half Hollow Hills Community Library.
Speakers: Chris Kretz, Head of Stony Brook University’s Southampton Library
Ellen Druda, , Head of Digital Services, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Charlene Muhr, Assistant Director, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Location: Roosevelt Salon Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: 2-1-1 Long Island
Title: 2-1-1 Long Island Database: A Powerful Resource for Librarians
This workshop features a training session for achieving optimal results when using the 2-1-1 Long Island Database. 2-1-1 connects Long Island residents to health and human services they may need on a daily basis or during an emergency. Available at http://www.211longisland.org, the database provides users with detailed information on over 10,000 community resources for help and assistance in a broad range of areas. Librarians may also dial or refer patrons to the call center available at 2-1-1 or 1-888-774-7633. 2-1-1 is an ideal resource for librarians across Long Island to help their patrons get the support they need to “reach for the stars.”
Speakers: Lori Abbatepaolo, 2-1-1 LI Database, Project Coordinator at Middle Country Public Library
Kristen Todd-Wurm, 2-1-1 LI Database, Database Manager at Middle Country Public Library
Location: Vanderbilt Salon Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: LILC Committee
Title: Powerful Literature Empowers Students
This program explores the use of multicultural literature as a means of meeting the social emotional needs of elementary school students.
Speakers: Amelia Estevez Creedon, Library Media Specialist
Abraham Barretto, Vice President of Lee and Low Books
Jill Eisenberg, Senior Literacy Specialist
Location: Whitman Salon Lower Level
Session III: 3pm to 4pm
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Pop Culture Committee
Title: The Effect of the Internet on Society’s Values
Not an examination of prurient content online, but an inquiry into how the speed and convenience of the internet has changed how we value information, memory, and humor. A presentation supported with readings from the Internet Apocalypse Trilogy.
Speakers: Wayne Gladstone, author of the Internet Apocalypse Trilogy. His work has appeared in Slate, Cracked, McSweeney’s, The Onion, Time Out New York, and Electric Lit.
Location: Salons I, II, III Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA & SCLA RASD
Title: Are You Struggling to Promote Your Online Resources?
Presentation/Handout
How hard can it be to get people to use free online library resources when patrons are already paying for comparative services? Promoting online services can be a bit more difficult than in-house marketing, but it’s possible if you think like your users. Join Nancy Dowd as she shares the work her company is doing with 50+ libraries as part of a pilot program that uses emails to get the word out and strategies, results, and insights.
Speaker: Nancy Dowd, Product Manager, LibraryAware for Novelist, EBSCO Publishing
Location: Salons IV, V, VI Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: CLASC
Title: I Am Yoga
Come play, explore, and experience with best selling children’s book author and kid’s yoga and mindfulness teacher Susan Verde. Join her for this workshop on the benefits of bringing yoga and mindfulness into your own lives and the educational setting. Susan will explore how these practices help both the educator and the student in classroom management, self-care, self-regulation and more. Susan will discuss how she approaches her writing, parenting and teaching through the framework of mindfulness. You will walk away from this workshop with activities you can implement right now in your own lives and with your students as well as resources for further exploration. No experience required just a love of self and children and an open mind and heart. Any movements done during the workshop will be ones you can do right in your seat or standing next to it.
Speaker: Susan Verde is the best-selling author of The Museum, You and Me, I Am Yoga and The Water Princess with her forthcoming book My Kicks to be released in April, 2017. Susan has also written the sequel to I Am Yoga called I Am Peace (a book of mindfulness) slated for September, 2017. Susan grew up in Manhattan and now lives in East Hampton, NY with her 13 yr old twin boys and 11 yr old daughter.
Location: Salons VII, VIII, IX, X Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: Fandom Outreach Committee
Title: Book to Fandom: How to Make a Fandom Come to Life!
The Fandom community is growing at an alarming rate with the rise of so many new (and reborn) popular fandoms such as Star Wars, Fantastic Beasts, Steven Universe, and even Power Rangers! Many libraries do book-to-movie programs, but it isn’t difficult to take this a few steps further. In this panel, we will talk about what is trending in the fandom community and how you can create programs around them to encourage this community of people to use the library. Bringing the fandom community into your library does not mean having to have a full-fledged Scifi convention. The Fandom Outreach Committee will share their experiences and ideas on how to create programs based on these fandom in order to bring these patrons of all ages to your library.
Speakers: Stefanie Gangone, Copiague Library
Justine Berretta, Copiague Library
Nicole Basil, Smithtown Library
Anne Witte-Russo, Sayville Library
Kate Regina, West Babylon Public Library
Location: Salons XI, XII Upper Level
Sponsoring Committee: Nassau Library System
Title: Pack the House: Recommendations for Star-Quality Book Discussions
Presentation/Handout
Join three experts and experienced book discussion leaders and gain insights for facilitating a successful book discussion at your library. Learn about title choices, marketing, moderating/facilitating and most important, keeping it fun and informative.
Speakers: Carol Ann Track, Reference Librarian, Merrick Library
Janet Schneider, Adult Programming Librarian, Peninsula Library
Michelle Young, Reference Librarian, Lynbrook Library
Location: Nassau/Suffolk Room, Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: SCLA RASD Health Concerns Committee
Title: Barking Up the Right Tree: Animal Assisted Therapy in the Library
Presentation/Handout
Journal Article: Studying for Exams Just Got More Relaxing
We have all seen children reading to a therapy dog in a library, but what else can that therapy dog do for our patrons? In this workshop, public and academic librarians will discover best practices in animal assisted therapy programming in libraries. You will learn the theoretical foundations of animal assisted therapy, best practices in spatial design and planning for library programs involving animals, and perspectives of dog handlers providing animal assisted therapy for children and adults. Hans, a Seasoned Animal Assisted Therapy Canine, will be available for photos, and resources will be distributed.
Speakers: Pamela Linden LMSW PhD, Clinical Associate Professor, Stony Brook University
Sonnie Goldman, Director of Canine Training, PRAAT
Kathleen Maxheimer, Outreach Strategist, Stony Brook University Libraries (retired)
Hans, Seasoned Animal Assisted Therapy Canine
Location: Roosevelt Salon Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Computers & Technology Committee and Intellectual Freedom Committee
Title: Digital Privacy Basics
Hacking, identity theft, government surveillance…Is your library doing all it can to protect its patrons from digital dangers in 2017? Join us as we go over some basic levels of protection that your library can institute as “best practices.” We’ll also discuss ways in which we are educating and informing our patrons of the various privacy threats present today. Our panel of experts will be keeping the technobabble to a minimum and encouraging questions from participants!
Speakers: James Hutter is the Head of Computer Services at the Port Washington Public Library and Chairperson of the NCLA Computers & Technology Committee. While he has a passion for all things technology-related, his recent focus has been on protecting the digital privacy of library patrons and U.S. citizens
Michael Matuszewski is the Assistant Director at the Massapequa Public Library and a member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee of Nassau County.
Doug McAuliffe was a system administrator and IT consultant for over fifteen years, before coming to work at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library. In that time he has managed email, web, and internet services for various companies and libraries, always with an eye towards privacy and security.
Jason Paulsen is the owner of a digital products consulting agency named Big Cat LLC and he has over 17 years of experience supporting and creating digital products. Jason is a Certified Social Media Strategist, Project Manager in both waterfall and agile methodologies, Network + Professional, former Microsoft Certified Engineer, with a bachelor degree in Information technology Administration.
Location: Vanderbilt Salon Lower Level
Sponsoring Committee: RASD MOSAIC
Title: Citizenship Reference 101
Curious what it takes to become a U.S. citizen? Join USCIS immigration officer Shyconia Burden to find out the requirements to apply for naturalization. We will also explore resources your patrons can utilize to pass the test and what they should expect during the interview.
Speaker: Shyconia Burden, USCIS Community Outreach Coordinator
Location: Whitman Salon Lower Level
Long Island Library Conference 