Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy held its first Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2009, at the Marriott Tech Center Hotel in Denver.
Well over 50 people attended; we are off to a great start for 2010. The meeting organizers are grateful for the strong turnout and active participation of all who attended--in person or in spirit!
Welcome
Lori Romero welcomed everyone and got the afternoon started by inviting attendees to share an early literacy program or service about which their library was excited. It was exciting and inspirational to hear about so many great initiatives!
Overview of CLEL
Melissa Depper gave a brief overview of CLEL's history and purpose. She discussed what CLEL offers to the Colorado library community: resources, a state-wide professional network, support and mentoring, and training.
We were happy to see that so many attendees were already familiar with CLEL's website, which is the organization's primary vehicle for sharing both internal and external resources. The website is a continual work in progress; the website team is eager to hear from CLEL members regarding information and topics they would like to see added or expanded upon.
The number of attendees at our first Annual Meeting eeting is proof of our growing state-wide network for librarians and staff interested in early literacy services. The CLEL blog was designed to be the hub of that network, with posts from all regions about programs, best practices, and questions. By sharing information on the blog, we can gather feedback and support! If you have a topic you'd like to see discussed, you can share it with the blog team by using the Contact Us form.
We are all at different stages on this early literacy journey, and we all have much to share with each other. If you find yourself in need of support, do let us know. We will try our best to connect you with another CLEL member who may be able to provide you with some informal mentoring (either in person or via phone or email) for your particular situation.
In addition, several of our members are experienced trainers. If you or your staff are seeking formal instruction in early literacy storytimes or services, we will try to facilitate a match!
Getting Involved with CLEL
Susan Oakes introduced the chairs of our four standing committees and described some of the opportunities for getting involved with CLEL. We encourage you to participate at whatever level is comfortable for you! No contribution is too small; it is all our efforts together which help us reach our goals! A major initiative this year is CLEL's "Online Road to Reading" 2009-2010 LSTA grant project; your engagement with this undertaking is most welcome!
Early Childhood Councils
Priscilla Queen spoke about the importance of libraries connecting with their local Early Childhood Councils.
Poster Session and Networking
We set aside some time for members to network with one another. The noise level in the room quickly increased as people began making introductions, talking, and sharing! Several CLEL members had prepared "poster sessions" to introduce a variety of early literacy programs and services during this sharing time.
Sharing Tips with Caregivers during Storytime
A cornerstone of our early literacy library services is helping parents and caregivers learn more about how they can build early literacy skills with their children. Demonstrating how learning can be entertaining, too, several CLEL members presented some of their favorite interactive fingerplays and songs for storytime, accompanied by early literacy tips appropriate for parents and caregivers.
Celebrations
Our First Annual Meeting included our First Annual Celebrations! We took some time to recognize some of the libraries and individuals who were key to our success this year.