Webinars & Events

Upcoming Events

Ukulele 101: Enlivening Storytime with Ukulele | Preconference Workshop: WLA Annual Conference 2025
Thursday, April 10, 2025: 8:30am-12:30pm

Join Tacoma Youth Symphony for a crash course in the basics of playing ukulele, then hear from a panel of librarians who use ukuleles in programs ready with tips, tricks, and songs to start you on your ukulele librarian journey! Jam out with other attendees and strum along on your very own ukulele, included in the price of registration. Recommended for ukulele beginners. Workshop sponsored by the Children & Young Adult Services (CAYAS) Section and the Washington State Library.

Book Award Author Breakfast with Peggy Janicki | WLA Annual Conference 2025
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 8 am - 9:45 am

Join WLA’s School Library Division and Children and Young Adult Services (CAYAS) Section for our annual Author Breakfast with special guest Peggy Janicki!

Peggy Janicki is an award-winning Dakelh teacher from the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation. She holds a master of education in Indigenous knowledges/Indigenous pedagogies from the University of British Columbia. Peggy has worked for decades to reveal the hidden stories and histories of Indigenous Peoples, as featured in UBC’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Reconciliation through Indigenous Education." When her mother shared a secret story that changed all their lives and highlighted the impacts of colonization, Peggy also became a storyteller. She lives in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

Peggy is the author of the 2025 WLA Towner Award Nominee, The Secret Pocket, which tells the true story of how Indigenous girls at a Canadian residential school sewed secret pockets into their dresses to hide food and survive.

Teen and Tween Services Idea Swap
Tuesday, May 13, 2025: 1-2pm

Join us for a chat with library staff who serve tweens and teens. Share programming and service ideas, ask each other questions and get advice, and be in community with like-minded folks.

Click here to register.

Past Events

School Age Services Idea Swap
Tuesday, March 11, 2025: 1-2pm

Join us for a chat with library staff who serve school age children. Share programming and service ideas, ask each other questions and get advice, and be in community with like-minded folks.

CAYAS Early Learning Idea Swap
Tuesday, February 11, 2025: 1-2pm

Join us for a chat with library staff who serve young children. Share storytime and other programming/services ideas, ask each other questions and get advice, and be in community with like-minded folks.

Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Youth Panel
Wednesday, October 27, 2021: 2pm-3:30pm

A panel of service providers who work with LGBTQ+ youth will share best practices for creating inclusive spaces for queer youth and planning LGBTQ+ youth programs.

ScLD & CAYAS Spring Roundtable
Saturday, September 22, 2021: 7pm-8pm

The co-hosted ScLD/CAYAS Roundtable is here again to chat about what life is like on the 'other side', comparing school and public librarian life. Gather with other youth librarians to talk about what it's like in your day-to-day work. We'll be focusing on how to better understand the differing librarian work demands so collaboration can be more aware and effective.

We'll start off with an introduction from the hosts about Teacher Librarian and Public Librarian work then open the floor for comments and questions.

ScLD & CAYAS Spring Roundtable
Saturday, March 27, 2021 10 am – 11 am

The co-hosted ScLD/CAYAS Roundtable is having its first meeting of 2021! Gather with other youth librarians to learn about advocacy and how you can have an impact on legislation affecting your library.

Welcome WLA's lobbyist, Carolyn Logue! She will be joining us to speak briefly about the legislation that affect librarians who serve youth and how to get involved. Whether you're new to how our legislative process works or want to connect with others on the topics you're passionate about we hope to see you there!

CAYAS Summer Workshop: Best Practices for Serving Trans Youth
Wednesday, August 12, 2020, 10 am-12 pm
WLA's Children & Young Adult Services (CAYAS) Section is excited to invite you to an online workshop where we'll be strengthening our knowledge and compassion for the struggles of our young transgender patrons! Aiden Key from Gender Diversity will help with your confidence around trans needs by reviewing what questions and conversations you may encounter, how to stay respectful when faced with topics of faith and politics, learning about current medical and mental health research, and simple steps you can take to create safe spaces for youth to grow. The workshop covers needs for children & teens and there will be time for Q&A at the end.

Fall Workshop: Diversify Your Services, Refocus your STEM Lens
Friday, November 15 2019, 10am–4pm

Join public and school library professionals for a day of learning! Discover strategies for using Children’s & Young Adult Literature to engage readers of all ages with discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Be introduced to new story time practices and new books for youth. Learn about providing STEM programming in a library setting. This workshop is appropriate for anyone serving ages 0 through 18 in libraries. Breakfast and snacks provided. Lunch on your own.

CAYAS Webinar: Serving Teens with Disabilities in the Library
Friday, May 3, 2019, 11am (PT)
Learn how to more effectively serve teens with a wide range of disabilities in public and school libraries. We will cover best practices for interacting with this population, how to help them access information that is relevant to them, programming ideas, how to build accessible and inclusive spaces, and discuss some funding opportunities. Run time will be 60 minutes, with time for questions afterward.
Presented by students in the UW iSchool program as part of their capstone project
View the recorded webinar

CAYAS Winter Workshop: Spanish Language Boot Camp for Youth Services Library Professionals
January 9, 2017, 10am - 3pm
Location: Bothell Police Station Community Room | 18410 101st Ave NE | Bothell, WA 98011

Kick off the year at this fun, interactive workshop designed to give you the confidence and vocabulary to talk to Spanish speaking patrons about why libraries matter to youth. This workshop was developed by a librarian for those working in libraries who have little to no Spanish language skills. You will learn mini-conversations you can use as a starting point for outreach to patrons who may not be aware of the full scope of services your library offers. You will leave with a set of resources to help remember what you learned, and tools you can use to continue learning Spanish on your own. Presented by Kathy Smargiassi, Children’s Librarian and Translator for Sno-Isle Libraries.

CAYAS Books and Brews
Wednesday, November 2, 2016, 5 to 6:30pm
Big Time Brewery - 4133 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Join CAYAS in our first quarterly Books and Brews Event. This is a great opportunity to meet new people in the field, share resources, and sip on adult beverages all at the same time! This meeting's theme is "Mirrors and Windows" where you bring one book that is a window for you or the children and teens you serve and one book that is a mirror, to share and discuss.

Book Award Author Breakfast | Annual WLA Conference
The WLA School Library Division & CAYAS (Children & Young Adult Services) Section host a breakfast at the WLA annual conference with a keynote from a children's or teen author. Past authors include:

2024: Christine Day
2023: Aiden Thomas
2022: Dan Gemeinhart
2021: Kelly Jones
2020: Aron Nels Steinke, Elizabeth Rusch, Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham, and Troy Cummings
2018: Mitali Perkins
2017: Martha Brockenbrough
2016: Kelly Milner Halls
2015: Justina Chen
2014: Marissa Meyer
2013: George Shannon
2012: Brent Hartinger
2011: Chris Crutcher
2010: Ellen Witlinger
2009: Karen Cushman
2008: Rick Riordan