This session will be held at the South Mountain Community College Library in the Library Community Room.

As libraries, we have the opportunity to be connected learning hubs in our communities. This workshop introduces participants to the core concepts of Connected Learning.  Participants explore the principles of Connected Learning and how to connect Connected Learning theory to practice.

Workshop Outcomes

Participants will:

• Dive into youth voice & choice

• Understand the philosophy of Connected Learning as it relates to educational and career opportunities

• Explore the principles of Connected Learning

• Think about how to operationalize Connected Learning theory into practice

• Expect plenty of sticky notes and conversations

Join facilitators Donna Throckmorton, Victoria Salajko and Zack Garcia as we explore the needs of the teens we serve and how to apply Connected Learning theory into your existing programs.

Teen Librarian, Zachary Garcia has been at the Camp Verde Community Library since January of 2017. Zack’s contagious enthusiasm and outgoing personality conveys his interest in supporting teens. This enthusiasm will facilitate a positive learning environment for library staff. Zach continues to seek opportunities to expand his own professional development attending two YA Summits, a NASA in Your Library training, and several other professional developmental workshops.

Victoria Salajko is currently serving as the Librarian in charge of the 101Space at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library in Tucson, Arizona; a library makerspace utilizing the principles of connected learning to enrich the lives of teens in the Tucson community. She is a graduate from the University of Arizona’s School of Information. Victoria started working in her first library as a teen volunteer, and has continued working in Tucson libraries ever since. She is excited to support teens with her work at the library, just as the library supported her as a teen. The best parts of her job are watching teens at the library chase their curiosities, explore the power of new skills, and become experts at what they enjoy.

Donna Throckmorton is the library services consultant with the Arizona State Library. As a Library Services Consultant at the Arizona State Library, Donna provides consulting to library staff to libraries across Arizona. With over 20 years of library experience Donna brings an understanding from both the rural and urban library perspective to support libraries in the areas of early literacy, summer reading, community engagement and youth services.

Transforming Teen Services with Connected Learning was developed by YALSA and are aimed at improving competencies for library staff serving teens and are part of the YALSA/COSLA IMLS funded Transforming Teen Services: A Train the Trainer Approach (T3) project.