Select Presentations
How to Start a Youth Poet Laureate Program
Public Library Association Conference, How-To Stage, Portland Oregon, March 2022
with Sabah Abdulla
The Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program is not just a poetry program but is also a teen leadership and youth development program, as well as a community building program, that libraries are uniquely and ideally situated to coordinate. Public libraries serve their whole communities with this program by amplifying young voices and giving opportunity not just for these talented poets to share their truths, but for the entire community to learn from them and what they have to say. It is also absolutely rewarding and so much fun! One of the country's longest running Youth Poet Laureate programs, the Oakland Youth Poet Laureate Program has been coordinated and run by Oakland Public Library Teen Services staff for more than a decade. OPL staff have advised several other library systems as they started their own programs. At this session, you'll learn how to get started with a Youth Poet Laureate program and why you should consider doing it.
How to Zine
Public Library Association Conference, How-To Stage, Portland Oregon, March 2022
with Sadie McClendon
Zines are a way to get alternative points of view, lots of art, and personal stories out in the world. They connect people, provide resources, and are a lot of fun! In this session you'll learn how to make two different sizes of zine out of a single piece of paper. You'll also hear a little about how to make a zine for your library and patrons, how to make a zine with your library patrons, and how to start a zine collection for your library.
Cultivating and Managing a Youth Poet Community
National Youth Poet Laureate Leaders’ Discussion Series, Virtual, February 2021
A presentation to Youth Poet Laureate program leaders across the country about creating intentional community among the young poets who participate in their programs.
Listen to the Kids: Youth- and Family-Centered Practices at Oakland Public Library
Holding Space: A national conversation series with libraries, (American Library Association), Virtual, August 2020
with panel
Oakland Public Library offers an array of programs and services for children and families that honor the input of all stakeholders, adjust to meet areas of greatest need, reflect evidence-based practices, and leverage partnerships to deepen connections within the community. Join Julius for a series of interviews with members of the extraordinary team that create and implement these programs, followed by a conversation with and performances by Oakland Youth Poet Laureate finalists!
Zine-gagement: Reaching Underserved Users
California Library Association Annual Conference, Santa Clara CA, November 2018
with Josephine Sayers
Zines are small, light-weight, fun, and packed full of information. They are passed around, traded, and seen at locations and events that libraries may not otherwise infiltrate. With zines, new populations are reached and made aware of what the library can do for them. The casual tone of zines invites engagement from users who might be put off by the formality of other marketing materials or who may be afraid that the library isn’t the place for them. It’s a great opportunity not just for sharing information about what the library does, but also for bibliographies and resource guides for outreach to underserved populations.
Come Write In with National Novel Writing Month at Your Library
California Library Association Annual Conference, Santa Clara CA, November 2018
with Henry Bankhead and Mark Coker
In this session, participants will learn about the non-profit organization National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and their Come Write In program which provides free resources to libraries, community centers, and local bookstores to build writing havens in your neighborhood. We will talk about different ways libraries of all types can be involved, in particular during the month of November when over 300,000 people (of all ages) write novels through the NaNoWriMo platform. Help bring this amazing experience to your community. Your library can provide a space for people who previously have not had a voice and may have not felt their story matters. Their story matters! Your story matters! This session will include some interactive writing exercises.
Thinking Outside the Box: What Interviewers Really Want to Hear
California Library Association Annual Conference, Santa Clara CA, November 2018
with panel
You just accomplished your educational goals and are ready to take on the world of libraries! And yet … you’re not confident that you have acquired the skills that you need for your dream job. Worry no more! Attend this panel of public library directors and hiring managers to get the inside scoop on what library leadership sees as lacking in potential hires and how you can fit the bill. Panel participants will share what they look for in new hires, give tips on how to acquire relevant skills and experience, review typical interview questions and answers, and go over preparation methods that could help you land the job you want.
Sharon Hates Everything
California Library Association Annual Conference, Riverside CA, November 2017
Short humorous presentation as part of the late night event, Hater’s Ball.
Identifying Worthwhile Library Stories, Best Practices for Sharing Stories, and Sharing Stories on Social Media
California Library Association/CALIFA Leadership Institute for Rural and Small Libraries, Yosemite CA, May 2017
Was one of three invited speakers at this weekend-long institute, along with Patrick Sweeney and Oleg Kagan. The institute’s aim was to support and train librarians and library staff in rural and small libraries across California in sharing impact stories for advocacy.
Raising a Child with Cystic Fibrosis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals, San Carlos, CA, December 2016
with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Northern California Chapter
Presented about living with cystic fibrosis to staff at a facility that develops and manufactures important medication for fighting lung infections in people who have the disease.
Engaging a Digital City: Social Media Success Stories
City of Oakland Digital Lab, Oakland CA, November 2016
with panel
Sharon McKellar from the Oakland Public Library cited how the Libraries are creatively using social media to share their assets and engage the local community. A post that included a resource guide designed to talk to kids about racism and justice reached over 30,000 people on Facebook and was highlighted by national social justice groups. In another effort, the Library participated in the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement by creating signs that library visitors—including kids—could use to share their outlook. The photos, which were posted to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr received a 282% greater engagement rate.
Cats, Kids, and Caldecott: A Brief History of the Picture Book
The Lake Merritt, Oakland CA, April 2015.
Nerd Nite East Bay, Oakland CA, September 2014
Picture books aren’t always as simple as they appear. With equal importance of storytelling and visuals, the picture book should be taken seriously as a tool and an art form. Come see a brief history of this medium and also learn about the prestigious Caldecott Medal. How does a group of librarians decide the most distinguished picture book each year?
Creating a Modern Brand on a Budget
California Library Association Annual Conference, Oakland CA, November 2014
Ready for a modern look for your library’s print and online materials? In this session you will learn how to create a new brand while spending limited money. See how the Oakland Public Library’s Community Relations team has accomplished a re-branding that offers an updated, consistent look and feel to our materials. You’ll see new vs. old materials and learn all the different ways our new brand can be used, including in print and electronic resources. We’ll also discuss the process of creating and evaluating the brand, and how changes have been made since the launch to improve on our initial idea. By the end of the session everyone will have gotten some hands-on practice and the beginnings of an idea for a new brand for their library
Using Gadgets for Outreach
California Library Association Annual Conference, Oakland CA, November 2014
poster session with Mel Gooch
When trying to reach a diverse and modern audience, our traditional outreach tools don’t always do the trick. Providing something interactive and interesting engages people and draws them in. Come see some of the gadgets that we’ve found useful in our outreach to library users and potential library users of all ages.
Found in the Library: A Social Media Success Story
California Library Association Annual Conference, Oakland CA, November 2014
poster session
In this poster session you can visit some of the items that have been found in books in the Oakland Public Library. Touching, funny, mundane, and sometimes adorable, these items are a glance into the lives of our patrons. See how the library has innovatively featured these items on their blogs and social media while protecting the privacy of the lost items’ original owners. Also learn about how this garnered attention from the press, leading to multiple stories bringing positive attention to the library and more readers to the website and their social media pages
Your Library’s Story, Your Community’s Story
TechSoup for Libraries, Storytellers Series, webinar, September 2014
The Oakland Public Library (OPL) is also engaging its community to tell the library’s stories. Sharon McKellar, the community relations librarian, talked about the importance of sharing everything you do on a TechSoup for Libraries digital storytelling webinar.
New Ways to Read: eMaterials, Libraries, and the Digital Divide
Women’s National Book Association San Francisco Chapter, Oakland CA, August 2014
Sharon McKellar, Oakland Public Librarian will speak about new ways to read, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, and online reading and will give insight into what types of books (genre, age range etc.) get more use digitally. She will also address impacts these new “reading technologies” have on libraries, librarians, and a population with uneven access to digital resources and will shed light on how libraries are facing these impacts, both good and bad. Following the talk there will be time for questions.
#WeNeedDiverseBooks: Patrons Have Their Say
American Library Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas NV, June 2014
poster session
Oakland Librarian Sharon McKellar presents Ephemera!
Oakland Nights…Live!, Oakland, CA, April 2014
It is the East Bay’s very own monthly late night talk show! Featuring interviews and performances, it is half Johnny Carson, half Fresh Air, half Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and all Bay Area! We’ve had on 2 members of Oakland City council, writers Novella Carpenter and Dean Rader, Oaksterdam University, the Exploratorium, performance artists, reporters, video game designers, doctors, an astrophysicist, a marine biologist, a private eye and endless other guests! It is a microscope that looks in on all the little wonders across the Oakland Bay Area.