The new economy—the Creative Economy—is an economy of continuous innovation and transformation. It is an economy of organizations and entrepreneurs that are delivering to customers what they are coming to expect, namely, “better, faster, cheaper, smaller, lighter, more convenient, and more personalized.” The Creative Economy is still relatively small, but it is the economy of the future. It includes different ways of thinking, speaking, and acting in the world. Denning shares insights, strategies, and tips for libraries and their staff to continue innovating and transforming as they head into the future, creative economy!

The Computers in Libraries 2015 exhibition will feature leading-edge companies offering vistors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, internet software tools, content suppliers, search services, and more. If you are looking for a particular product, evaluating competing systems, keeping up-to-date with new products and developments, the Computers in Libraries 2015 exhibition is a must-attend.

As educational standards, technologies, and student needs change, digital resources need to adapt. Take a peek behind the curtain at EBSCO’s Schools & Public Libraries group to see what goes into this development process as they address the Common Core, state curricula, technology trends, new devices, and more. Learn how their research on students’ user experience is informing school and public library product development.

In today’s increasingly visual environment, the idea of visual note-taking is increasingly popular. Students are doodling while listening or reading anyway, so why not incorporate this natural inclination? This presentation talks about how to work with students to take visual notes and provide additional information available about the practice, including examples of student creations. Attendees leave with a number of online resources about sketchnoting as well as specific ideas on how to use the sketchnoting concept with students and share it with colleagues.

Cash concessions will be available in the Exhibit Hall for attendees to purchase lunch. Grab a bite and then visit with our extensive hall of exhibitors.

Computer science education is troublesomely lacking from most K–12 schools, despite the fact that there is a high and growing demand for jobs in the field. A major barrier is that educators feel inadequately equipped to teach it. Our first speaker in this two-part session explores ways to turn your library into a computer science exploration space for students. No prior computer science education knowledge required! Our second speaker teaches participants about Hour of Code, Tynker, and Scratch–resources designed to introduce students to coding. Come get a sense of how each program works, learn why coding is a valuable skill, and get ideas on how to integrate coding into the curriculum and classroom.

View the Computers in Libraries 2015 exhibitor list and plan which vendors you want to see during our afternoon break. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks for all our exhibit hall breaks are compliments of Springer (Booth #519).

This session focuses on an expanded view of social media and how various platforms can support student-centered inquiry, authentic publishing opportunities and critical online competencies. The speaker discusses ways to use social media to provide “professional” roles for students to communicate and connect. Useful resources will inspire you to improve current efforts in blogging or wikis and try new arenas such as Twitter, Pinterest, or Mozilla’s Webmaker templates.

Faculty at Garrison Forest School are running a pilot ebook program for the 2014-2015 academic year. Prior to launch, the presenter Faith Ward initiated research into what e-reading was accomplishing and how students were reading dig- itally for class and homework assignments on the campus. She and other school faculty compiled a comprehensive review of the research literature on e-reading, surveyed students’ e-reading habits, provided instruction for faculty using and selecting digital texts, and observed the pros and cons of using these texts. From their observations and experiences, they have prepared guidelines for all teachers as to how to use digital books with students, ensuring success. Ward shares an overview of this process in her presentation.

Be there as we celebrate 80s style— the great decade when Computers in Libraries began! Mix and mingle with conference attendees and speakers in a relaxed atmosphere while visiting with our extensive hall of exhibitors

Digital life is transforming the public’s expectations of libraries and archives. Is the internet making these institutions irrelevant? The “perfect storm” of reduced budgets, unprecedented increases in the amount and cost of information available, and the multiplicity of platforms at play call for new strategies for the future of libraries and archives. A lively glimpse into the crystal ball!

The Computers in Libraries 2015 exhibition will feature leading-edge companies offering vistors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, internet software tools, content suppliers, search services, and more. If you are looking for a particular product, evaluating competing systems, keeping up-to-date with new products and developments, the Computers in Libraries 2015 exhibition is a must-attend. 

In the summer of 2014, Georgetown Day School renovated the entire second floor of its high school campus, and the heart of the renovation was the library! It removed some stacks, added moveable walls, brought the IT department into the library, created an innovation lab/makerspace, and, of course, added beanbag chairs and genius bars. Is it a marriage made in heaven? Find out more at this session, where the speakers candidly share their experiences, from the planning process to the honeymoon period and beyond. Discussions range from the big, tangible issues of managing shared spaces to the more subtle ones of delineating respon- sibilities and services to the library users, be they students or teachers. The speakers provide a list of “do’s!” and “don’ts!” for those who are also thinking of remaking their libraries.

Ursula K. LeGuin reminded us that “there have been no societies that did not tell stories.” Explore how to use this universal feature of every country and every culture to connect people in meaningful ways. Cordell shares specific tools and techniques to help school community members—students, staff, parents, and other library users—find common truths as they share their unique stories.

Cash concessions will be available in the Exhibit Hall for attendees to purchase lunch. Grab a bite and then visit with our extensive hall of exhibitors.

With a greater number of students, parents, and teachers participating in the virtual world, where does the school library’s virtual presence land? Weimar and Perry share information regarding David Loertscher’s Virtual Learning Commons, along with examples of current practic- es among school libraries. Come hear suggestions and recommendations for how to improve the status of the school library’s virtual presence and discuss and share your own ideas and current practices. The takeaways from this presentation include school library and librarian advocacy; a vision for how the school library supports student learning and collaboration in the virtual environment; and ideas for implementing and improving your library’s virtual presence.

Online and offline life cannot really be distinguished anymore, as we and our students move between the two con- stantly. Successfully navigating the constant streams of information and data for understanding and communication is as critical as learning to read. At their school, Silverman and Piedmont co-teach a multisession high school foundations course that examines privacy, digital identity, search, intellectual rights and responsibilities, and media and visual literacy in the context of finding and communicating information. The pair share their curriculum and the changes they have seen in the upper grades as they have refined the course. Each year, they redesign in response to the changing world and their evolving understanding of these literacies. Call it library or technology, research or design, this is a curriculum that addresses the genuine needs of today’s students.

Make sure you head to the exhibit hall for your last chance to meet with our extensive hall of exhibitors and while you're there recharge with a cup of coffee, cold drink, and snacks.

Makerspaces are revolutionizing high school and public library spaces around the country. At their pre-K–8 school, our speakers challenged themselves to create an inviting, purposeful, and thought-provoking makerspace that would engage their youngest learners as well as their budding adolescents, offering a wide array of possibilities to explore, play and learn. They selected their library for the makerspace because it aligned with and extended the philosophy underlying the library as a place to explore and create knowledge; not “to get” but “to grow.” In this session, McLeod and Fleskes describes their rationale, their process, and the steps that they took to bring all school stakeholders on board to make this a reality. Attendees leave with a blueprint of their process that you can use to create a makerspace unique to your school community.