PLA Blog

Teacher’s Hall Pass at the Origins International Game Expo 2006
June 29, 2006 - July 2, 2006
Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
Games and gaming are big news lately. The Origins International Game Expo has been running since 1975, and “is one of the largest and longest-running game conventions in the world.” They’re offering what they call the “Teacher’s Hall Pass,” which include free admission to the expo and entrance to a special series of classes on how to use games in educational settings (like libraries). This is the first year the hall pass is available to librarians, and the Origins folks are “really looking forward to the interesting perspectives those two groups will bring to the discussions.” If you happen to take advantage of this opportunity, write to us and tell us about your experience.

SirsiDynix Institute: A Beginner’s Guide to Podcasting
* May 17, 2006 - Part A: A Consumers Guide
* May 24, 2006 - Part B: A Creator’s Guide
Curious about podcasting? Greg Schwartz, author of the Open Stacks blog and podcasts, podcasting librarian extraordinaire and the man behind the roving Carnival of Infosciences (another great free, online, professional resource), presents a two-part webinar series on what podcasting is, tools you should know about, and how to incorporate podcasts in your library services.

Free “FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman” Resource Kit
FETCH!, a new show premiering on PBS May 29 focused on kids 6-10 years old, is modeled on the reality TV show craze. Six teenage contenstants on the unscripted show go on challenge assignments “to test their determination, their daring, and their intellect.” Libraries can request a free FETCH! resources kit to create parallel programming at the library, including an activity guide, challenge sheet pack (available in English and Spanish), poster, and subscription to the email newsletter filled with news, activity tips, and web feature pointers. Email fetchnews[at]wgbh[dot]org to order your resource pack, and for more information.

Online Programming for All Libraries (OPAL)
OPAL offers a series of free, web-based programs that cover “book discussion programs, interviews, special events, library training, memoir writing workshops, and virtual tours of special digital library collections,” sponsored by various libraries. Upcoming events include a tour of eBay on Tuesday, May 16, project planning on Friday, May 19, and a book talk on the graphic novel Persepolis, which was recently made available in audio and braille formats for the Seatlle 2006 citywide book program. Check out their full schedule for more events and details.

Attend BookExpo America virtually via free podcasts
Conference runs May 19 - 21, 2006
Podcasts post the week of May 22, 2006
This tidbit was posted to the Beyond the Job blog, an excellent resource for information on continuing education in librarianship (especially free or low-cost opportunities). If you can’t make it to the BookExpo America conference this year, for the first time ever selected programming will be made available through podcasts. You can “pre-register” now to receive the podcasts by email, or you can subscribe to their iTunes or RSS feeds.

Know of a professional development or programming freebie you want to share? Write to us and let us know.

Tags: freebies, professional development

This entry was posted on Monday, May 15th, 2006 at 11:42 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.