This presentation, Unprogramming: Recipes for Successful Programming with School-Age Children & Teens, was part of the 2014 Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference and was presented by Marge Loch-Wouters and Amy Koester.

1. Unprogramming:
Recipes for Successful Programming
with School-Age Children & Teens
Marge Loch-Wouters | Amy Koester
Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference 2014

2. WHY YOU PROGRAM FOR
KIDZ?

3. Programming Motivations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Bring people in
Entertain
Highlight collections
Support literacy
Develop interests
Engage community

4. I WANT TO
PROGRAM...
BUT THERE ARE
SO MANY PITFALLS

5. Programming Pitfalls
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Program fatigue
Time and staff
Money
Participation
Boredom
Staff disinterest

6. Allow me to share my secret recipe for
UNPROGRAMMING

7. Unprogramming Benefits
1.
2.
3.
4.
Perspective
Balance
Engagement
Books

8. How does what I’m doing connect kids to…
★a book or books;
★an author or illustrator;
★the library and our services;
★some aspect of kids’ interests that can
connect back to the library?

10. Space Trip (shhh, disaster!)
Unprogramming with Kids
DVD: Traveler’s Guide to the
Planets (NatGeo)
Intro: DVD and then a crash landing!
Activities:
★ Decide planet
characteristics
★ First Aid with Stickers
★ Pick a robot helper
★ Build a lego shelter
★ Test real astronaut food
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

11. The Composer is Dead!:
Unprogramming with Kids
Book: The Composer is
Dead, Lemony Snicket
Intro: Interactive reading
Activities:
★ Exploring instruments
in the orchestra
★ Rubber band orchestra
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

12. Library Camp-Out
Unprogramming with Kids
Book: Scary Stories to Tell
in the Dark - Alvin
Schwartz
Intro: Silent Reading
Activities:
★ Families make tents
★ Reading
★ Scary stories
★ Walking s’mores
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

13. Anime Club:
Unprogramming with Teens
Media: Manga and Anime
Intro: Icebreaker; Favorite
new anime
Activities:
★ Anime board game
★ Drawing manga
★ Candy sushi
★ Cosplay
★ Social time
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

14. Dr. Who Party:
Unprogramming with Teens
Book: DVDs and books
Intro: rolling the dice
Activities:
★ Duct -tape bowties
★ Sonic Screwdriver
making
★ Dr. Who Jeopardy
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

15. Chat & Chew:
Unprogramming with Teens
Book: Any
Intro: Icebreaker; Share
new noteworthy titles
(awards, lists)
Activities:
★ Round robin book talks
★ Book speed dating
★ Sticky note reading
recs
★ Social time
Background created by altering image from Flickr user Generic Brand Productions, creative
commons licensed

16. Hey Girl.
I love the
way your
programs
make kids
smile.
And they're
so simple,
they still
leave time
for us to
cuddle.

17. #unprogramming
You got this.

18. More unprogramming
ideas?

19. Visit our Pinterest board for more
unprogramming inspiration!
http://goo.gl/O6NKb

20. Questions?
#wwwc14 #unprogramming
Thank you, Wisconsin!

21. Contact Us
Marge Loch-Wouters:
marge@lacrosselibrary.org
@lochwouters
http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com
Amy Koester:
akoester@stchlibrary.org
@amyeileenk
http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com