Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy

Steering Committee Q & A
2022-10-18 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Denver)
Are you considering apply to serve on the CLEL Steering Committee but are not sure what all is involved? Join current Steering Committee members for an overview and discussion about the responsibilities, requirements, and benefits of serving on the committee.
Join us live on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87835284545?pwd=[REDACTED]
You can read more about the structure of the Steering Committee and the application process here.

Member Meetup: Books of 2022
2022-11-17 13:00 - 14:00
It’s almost the end of the year, so it’s time to reflect on the plethora of titles we saw in 2022. Take time to connect with other CLEL members and share your favorite children’s titles of 2022. Get new ideas for storytime books, look at the themes publishers focused on and strengthen your readers advisory repertoire. It’s also your last chance to suggest titles for the CLEL Bell Awards!
For this Meet Up, we ask that you come prepared to share at least one of your favorite titles.
Join us live on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87907786789?pwd=[REDACTED]
Member Meetups are for CLEL Members only. Not a member yet? It’s FREE to join!
We do not record Member-Meetups but notes will be shared after.

Breaking Down Barriers: How One Library Removed Replacement Fees
2023-01-26 11:30 - 12:30
The Broomfield Library eliminated fees for lost and damaged children’s materials in January 2022. Find out how and why they were able to make this change using the Colorado State Library research, local circulation data, and qualitative information when seeking guidance from the Broomfield Library Board and approval by the Broomfield City Council. This webinar will include time to ask questions.
Presented by Sarah Johnson, Danni-lyn Steiner, and Esther Knox-Stutsman of the Broomfield Library.
This Zoom webinar is free and open to all. You must register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
Registration: https://forms.gle/unAjosN7UurmkB5EA

About the Presenters
Sarah Johnson is the Children’s Library Supervisor at the Broomfield Library with 15 years of experience working in a public library. Her career has been dedicated to working with children and families through library programs, services at the children’s reference desk, and community engagement, while focusing on removing barriers to library services.
Esther Knox-Stutsman is the Operations Manager at the Broomfield Library. Her work focuses on circulation, public services, digital resources, and technical services. She is passionate about accessibility of library services and resources.
Danni Steiner is the Circulation Supervisor at the Broomfield Library. While her daily work focuses on efficient and accurate materials circulation, she and her team are on a synchronous mission to remove both systemic and physical barriers to library access.

Member Meetup: Diversity in Storytime
2023-03-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Member Meet-Ups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship. In March, we will be talking about Diversity in Storytime; how are we ensuring our books, music and fingerplays represent everyone? How are we talking about diversity with our families? We don’t record Member Meet-ups to encourage casual and open discussion, but notes will be available via our blog.

Webinar: Choose Your Own Adventures
2023-05-04 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Discover research-based play experiences that work for libraries!
Join Michelle Randall, PhD with the Bay Area Discovery Museum in learning how to create research-backed play experiences in your library. Explore examples that pull from fields of education, psychology, and neuroscience to set up intentional problem-solving play experiences. Identify foundational principles such as choice that help you construct adventures that will inspire a passion for discovery in young children.
Registration for this event is closed
We have been very excited to receive a large and unanticipated number of registrations for this webinar. Registrations have outpaced our Zoom room capacity, therefore we have closed registration earlier than anticipated. However, CLEL members who didn’t have a chance to register will be able to access the webinar recording via our password-protected archives after the event.

Member Meetup: Reader's Advisory for Emergent Readers
2023-05-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Get ready for Summer Reading with some new titles and tricks to help the emergent readers at your library! Meetups are informal conversations that invite members to network and share resources.

Rescheduled - Member Meetup: Reader's Advisory for Emergent Readers
2023-05-31 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Due to technical difficulties at the event on May 24, we are rescheduling it to May 31.
Get ready for Summer Reading with some new titles and tricks to help the emergent readers at your library! Meetups are informal conversations that invite members to network and share resources. To encourage open discussion, Meetups are not recorded, but notes will be shared via blog after the event.

Member Meetup: Partnerships and Outreach
2023-07-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Share and brainstorm organizations to partner with and tips for successful outreach. Meetups are informal conversations that invite members to network and share resources. To encourage open discussion, Meetups are not recorded, but notes will be shared via blog after the event.

Member Meetup: Math in Storytime
2023-09-05 13:00 - 14:00
Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
In September, we will share and learn tips and tricks for including Math elements into storytime. Meetups are informal conversations that invite members to network and share resources. To encourage open discussion, Meetups are not recorded, but notes will be shared via blog after the event.
To join, click the website link below.

CLELCON 23: Day 1
2023-09-21 11:00 - 16:30 | Hopin
CLELCON is the annual conference of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy. It provides workshops, keynote speakers, and networking to anyone who is involved or wants to be involved with early literacy. It is recognized nationwide as a premier early literacy professional development opportunity. The conference will take place virtually on Hopin. More information coming soon.

CLELCON 23: Day 2
2023-09-22 11:00 - 16:30 | Hopin
CLELCON is the annual conference of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy. It provides workshops, keynote speakers, and networking toanyone who is involved or wants to be involved with early literacy. It isrecognized nationwide as a premier early literacy professionaldevelopment opportunity. The conference will take place virtually on Hopin. More information coming soon.

CLEL Steering Committee Q & A Session
2023-10-03 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy is seeking new leadership! Learn more about the 6 different sub committees and how to apply in this informal Q & A.

Free Webinar: Gender Inclusive Libraries
2023-11-14 13:00 - 14:00
Learn about gender identity development and discover best practices for providing compassionate service to transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-nonconforming youth and their caregivers. Explore the need for these competencies in libraries, and how they apply to your youth-focused services and programs.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
DETAILS
The webinar will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, November 14th, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Mountain Time.
Live captioning will be provided. A recording and transcript will be made available afterwards if attendees cannot participate in real time. Please contact info@clel.org with any additional access needs.
PLEASE NOTE: The Zoom Meeting link will be provided immediately upon registration after clicking Submit. If registering on the day of, please save this information! A reminder with the meeting link will also be emailed to registrants who sign up in advance.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Pearl Bashakevitz
(they/them/theirs) – Librarian
Pearl is a youth-focused librarian at the Ross-University Hills branch of the Denver Public Library. They perform early literacy storytimes and offer hands-on, exploratory programming for youth in grades K-5. Pearl currently serves as co-chair on the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy training subcommittee. They are passionate about practicing children’s librarianship as an openly queer professional, and using their position to help foster actively inclusive environments for kids and caregivers. If you encounter Pearl, they will most likely be reading middle grade fiction, baking cookies for their wife, or battling the shedding of two dogs and two cats with a super-strength lint roller.
Lisa Dengerink
(she/her/hers) – Early Learning Librarian
Lisa has been an early learning librarian with the Denver Public Library since 2013. She trains staff, teachers, caregivers and professionals on early literacy topics. In addition she provides feedback and assists Denver Public library staff and volunteers on best practices regarding early learning, storytime, child development, early learning programming and creating early learning spaces. She has worked with children 0-5 years old for over 20 years through libraries and teaching.

Member Meetup: Nursery Rhymes in Storytime
2024-03-20 13:00 - 14:00
Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
In March, we will share and learn tips for incorporating nursery rhymes into storytime. To encourage open discussion, Meetups are not recorded, but notes will be shared via blog after the event.
Click on the website link below to join the Zoom meeting.

Webinar: ASL for Storytime - Feelings Signs
2024-04-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In this interactive session, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for emotions and activities to support self-awareness, an important social emotional skill. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Click here to register.

About the Presenter:
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press and Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Hands Up Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators. She has worked in school and public libraries for over 25 years and has presented workshops and trainings for thousands of library staff throughout North America. Find her online at StoriesByHand.com.

Member Meetup: Book Banning
2024-05-21 13:00 - 14:00
Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
In May, we will discuss the topic of book banning in children’s services. To encourage open discussion, Meetups are not recorded, but notes will be shared via blog after the event. Let’s get together to discuss some of the concerns you are hearing from your patrons as well as your concerns as a professional, in general.
Please see below for Zoom link to join.

Member Meetup: Serving Neurodiverse Families
2024-07-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Member meetups are a way to discuss current issues impacting our workplaces in a safe place with like-minded individuals.
Join us on July 25, 2024 from 1 PM to 2 PM MST to discuss ways in which we can better serve our neurodivergent families. Do you have any suggestions on types of materials to use, programming suggestions, or books to recommend? How can we better meet their needs?
Click on the Zoom link below to join.

Member Meetup: Decodable Readers
2024-09-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
Are you struggling with recommendations to families who have beginning readers? What series or titles of books do you recommend to parents, caregivers, or students? What is working well with this group of young readers and what would you like to add into your collection, if you could, for beginning readers?
Join the meeting via the Zoom link below.

CLELCON24 (virtual conference)
2024-10-03 - 2024-10-04
CLELCON is an annual, affordable conference featuring workshops, keynote speakers and networking around the topic of early literacy in libraries. It is open to anyone who is involved or wants to be involved with early literacy. Learn more and register!

Beyond Bilingual: Making Storytimes ELL-Friendly
2024-10-22 13:00 - 14:00
Libraries are seeing a growing number of immigrant children and caregivers at their programs, but what do you do when storytime leaders and storytime participants don’t speak the same language? Learn how Brooklyn Public Library has developed simple strategies and techniques to make storytimes for young children friendly to parents and children who are English Language Learners by creating visual schedules, incorporating simple props, using translated resources, using Plain Language, and more! Discover how to incorporate multilingual content into your programs even if you do not speak the language of your participants. Hear about BPL’s lessons learned about presenting storytimes in over ten languages throughout the borough.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
DETAILS The webinar will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 1:00 PM Mountain Time. Live captioning will be provided. A recording and transcript will be made available afterwards if attendees cannot participate in real time. Please contact info@clel.org with any additional access needs. The Zoom Meeting link will be provided immediately upon registration after clicking Submit. If registering on the day of, please save this information! A reminder with the meeting link will also be emailed to registrants who sign up in advance.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Jessica Ralli is the coordinator of early literacy programs at Brooklyn Public Library where she coordinates grant-funded programming for BPL’s First Five Years initiative. She has an M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and has taught in museums, schools, and libraries. Jessica has written about play, early literacy, social justice, and library services to young children in School Library Journal and Library Trends. In 2020, Jessica received the prestigious Library Journal Movers and Shakers Award for her advocacy work in libraries. She is currently co-authoring the award-winning, critically acclaimed First Conversations series supporting early conversations about race, gender, consent, and bodies, published by Rise X Penguin Workshop.
Rachel G. Payne is the coordinator of early childhood services at Brooklyn Public Library where she leads BPL’s First Five Years initiative, manages new early childhood initiatives, develops new programs, and facilitates professional development. She contributed to Reading with Babies, Toddlers, and Twos (Sourcebooks, 2013) and Library Services Birth to Five (Facet, 2015). She has written for School Library Journal (where she authors the “First Steps” column), Kirkus, The Horn Book, and Library Trends. She served on the Caldecott Award (she chaired the 2016 committee), Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award, and Schneider Family Book Award selection committees, and has presented at multiple conferences. She received her master’s degree in early childhood and Elementary Education from Bank Street College of Education, and her master’s degree in library science from Long Island University. Beyond Bilingual: Making Storytimes ELL-Friendly

Member Meetup: Favorite Storytime Books for 2024
2024-11-07 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
Let’s meet to discuss our favorite books to share during Storytime from this past year and discuss new books and books to use for different types of groups (like an All Ages or a Digital Storytime). If time allows, we may be able to share your new favorite songs (or new to you at least), rhymes, or flannels to use as well.
Join the meeting via the zoom link below.

March Member Meetup
2025-03-11 13:00 - 14:00
Join our next meetup to be held on March 11th from 1-2 (MST) to share your own experience and learn from others as we aim to increase our support for emerging readers.

Librarians promote early learning for ages birth to 5 primarily through ECRR. But how do you support children as they transition into reading independently?

Member Meetups are an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.

May Member Meetup
2025-05-13 13:00 - 14:00
Join us at our next meetup on May 13 from 1-2 (MST).
We will be sharing our own experiences and learn from others’ experiences as we brainstorm ways to manage program burnout.
In this hour together, we will look for strategies and ways to support and combat the exhaustion and disengagement many librarians struggle with as program burnout sets in.
We host Member Meetups every other month as an informal way to network with other professionals around a topic relevant to youth librarianship.
Today, more so than ever, it seems like librarians have an ever-increasing workload as we attempt to meet the needs of our patrons and community – sometimes with dwindling supplies and budgets as well.
Here is the updated Zoom Link to take you to the meeting.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89721081141?pwd=[REDACTED]
Hope you can join us for a lively discussion!

2025 CLEL Conference - Day One - October 16 - 12 PM to 5:10 MDT
2025-10-16 12:00 - 2025-10-17 17:10
CLELCON 25 will be held on October 16 and 17, 2025
The conference will be virtual this year and will be hosted on our Zoom platform.
Day One – October 16 – 12 Noon to 5:10 PM MDT
Day Two – October 17 – 11 AM to 4:35 PM MDT

CLELCON 25 - Day 2 - October 17 - 11AM - 4:35 PM MDT
2025-10-17 11:00 - 16:35

Member Meetup - Best New Pictures Books of 2025 - 11/13 1-2 PM MST
2025-11-13 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for our last Member Meetup of 2025 where we will discuss our favorite picture books for the year.

CLEL Training Event - Nov 14th 2-3 PM MST - Nature in Storytime
2025-11-14 14:00 - 15:00
Join us as Pippi Graham leads a free seminar called Forest Play the Pippi Way, where we will discuss nature in early literacy programming.

CLELCON 2026 Save the Date! Nov. 5-6, 2026
2026-11-05 - 2026-11-06
CLELCON 2026 will take place November 5-6, 2026. Please help us shape the content of our upcoming conference by rating your interest in the potential themes and suggesting topics in the following survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwcaQprq0IqNsg76XtF6K6KOnLcWKHzE2Eamu2Q0uynWwJ5A/viewform?usp=dialog
