The University of Mississippi Libraries (UML) and school librarians in Mississippi have a partnership to support professional development for school library media specialists. Melissa Dennis, Head of the Research and Instruction Department, and Elizabeth Batte, Outreach and Strategic Initiatives Librarian, coordinate this community engagement opportunity. The School Library Symposium at the University of Mississippi Libraries has 2 goals: 1) to help school librarians gain CEU credit in professional development that can help them work with their students to be better prepared for college and careers. 2) to enhance the relationship between UM and school librarians in Mississippi. UM scholarship is enhanced in the symposium as well as connecting school librarians with speakers from the Mississippi Department of Education and the Mississippi Library Commission. We hope to develop connections between campus scholars and the K-12 community by having leaders in emerging fields engaging directly with school librarians during the symposium on topics like censorship, DEI, and artificial intelligence. By enhancing accessible professional development opportunities and sharing our research and experience with our fellow library educators, The University of Mississippi Libraries hopes this School Library Symposium will be an annual event for teaching and learning.
2023 Symposium: Monday, December 11, 2023, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Potential Date: 2024 Symposium: Monday, December 16, 2024, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This full-day event will earn participants 0.5 CEU credit hours. All meals/snacks are included with Registration. We are planning a variety of speakers and activities for everyone at the Symposium! You can expect to attend a variety of engaging workshops on using K-12 resources and tools to make your librarian life easier as well as tours of our UM Libraries resources and services.
SLS AGENDA
Monday, December 11, 2023 - J.D. Williams Library, University, MS
8:00 – 8:45 a.m.................Check-in/Breakfast sponsored by Friends of the Library/ Panera – scones, coffee, bagels, pastries, fruit
8:45 – 9:00 a.m.................Welcome - Melissa Dennis, Head of Research and Instruction Services and Cecilia Botero, Dean of UM Libraries. Announcements/Details about Social Media Scavenger Hunt – prizes to winners will be given at the end of the day!
9:00 – 10:00 a.m...............Concurrent Sessions: Artificial Intelligence / IDEALab Tour/ MAGNOLIA Resources / Weeding Do's and Dont's
10:00 - 11:00 a.m............. Concurrent Sessions: Archives Tour / MAGNOLIA Resources / Tech Talk on a Budget
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m...... Lunch sponsored by the UM School of Education. Location: Johnson Commons Ballroom. Tallahatchie Gourmet: Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, old fashioned green beans, salad, assorted dessert bars
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. …… Concurrent Sessions: Censorship Issues Impacting School Libraries / IDEALab Tour
1:00 – 2:00 p.m............. Concurrent Sessions: IDEALab Tour / Library Tour / Transcribing Letters to James Meredith / Using Canva
2:00 – 2:30 p.m............... Mental Health Break sponsored by Friends of the Library. Snacks: hot chocolate bar, coffee, hot tea, water, cookies / Scavenger Hunt Wrap-Up
2:30 – 3:30 p.m............... Final Session: The Impact of Storytelling: the Pass It On Project
3:30 – 4:00 p.m............... Closing Remarks/Feedback Survey/Scavenger Hunt Winners
Registration is FREE for participants. Registration for the 2024 Symposium will open at a later date. Only 50 seats can be filled.
Registration includes:
THANK YOU to our generous sponsors for helping make this a FREE experience for participants: UM Friends of the Library, UM Libraries, UM School of Education, Heartbreak Coffee, and Square Books.
