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Image for event: Inspired Early Childhood Educators Symposium

Inspired Early Childhood Educators Symposium

2025-08-15 09:00:00 2025-08-15 16:00:00 America/New_York Inspired Early Childhood Educators Symposium Join us for a special event designed for early childhood educators and librarians. Earn free professional development credits, network with others, and gain new information and resources. Main Library - Atrium

Friday, August 15
9:00am - 4:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-08-15 09:00:00 2025-08-15 16:00:00 America/New_York Inspired Early Childhood Educators Symposium Join us for a special event designed for early childhood educators and librarians. Earn free professional development credits, network with others, and gain new information and resources. Main Library - Atrium

Main Library

Atrium

Join us for a special event designed for early childhood educators and librarians. Earn free professional development credits, network with others, and gain new information and resources.

Free Ohio Professional Development Opportunities Throughout the Day

Educators may earn up to 4.5 credit hours from the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association.

9 am–noon
Wonderful Play! Using Music to Support Early Childhood Development
Featuring award-winning children’s musician Mr. Jeff

1–2:30 pm
Additional breakout sessions hosted by the Early Childhood Resource Center
All Around Literacy or It Begins With a Book

Registration information and training details can be found below.


Other Educator Events Throughout the Day

8:45 am–1 pm
Collection Development will showcase the new 16 Skills for Success collection

10 am–6 pm
Sign up for your special Educator Library Card

10:30 am–4 pm
Free Book Giveaway: Load up a box or two to take back to your students
While supplies last

10:30 am–4 pm
Educator Lab Open House

Noon–3 pm
Dial-A-Story Recording Studio: Teachers are invited to be guest readers for our Dial-A-Story service

12:15–12:45 pm
Tech Zone Tour

12:15–1 pm
Lunch & Learn: Reggio Emilia-Inspired Teachers Discussion Panel
Stop in anytime during the session

2:45–3:15 pm
Tech Zone Tour

Training Registration & Information

Educators may earn free credit hours from the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association. Register ahead of time at registry.occrra.org, sign in, and search for the training ST number. Registration is only required for educators seeking Ohio-approved credits. A registration and information table will also be available on the day of the event.


Training Descriptions
Wonderful Play! Using Music to Support Early Childhood Development – ST10155104
Kids learn best through play—and music is one of the most powerful play tools we have. Mr. Jeff, a dad of three, former preschool teacher, and award-winning children’s artist behind the album "Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful", will lead educators and librarians in this engaging, interactive, and creative professional development.
Attendees will learn how to implement music activities as transition tools and brain breaks to support classroom attention and management. Participants will leave with strategies for using books, puppets, props, and movement to enhance accessibility and engagement for all learners, while aligning with the Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards.

All Around Literacy: Tools and Strategies to Enrich the Preschool Classroom – ST10155044
Participants will explore tools to assess literacy in their environment and gain strategies for integrating literacy throughout all areas of early childhood education.

It Begins With a Book! – ST10155045
Participants will interact with peers, instructors, and samples of exemplary children’s literature to develop actionable plans for implementation in their work settings.


All sessions are designed for early childhood educators and librarians and are not intended for children.

For questions or inquiries, contact Laura McFalls at 330.643.4846 or email lmcfalls@akronlibrary.org.

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Education |

Main Library

Phone: 330.643.9000
Branch manager
Michael Bianchi

Hours
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We're closed Sunday April 05 due to CLOSED—Easter
Mon, Mar 30 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Mar 31 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Apr 01 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Apr 02 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Fri, Apr 03 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 04 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Apr 05 Closed
(CLOSED—Easter)

About the branch

Drive-up Window closes fifteen minutes before the building closes for the day.

Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.

Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.

Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.

Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.

Upcoming Events

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Fri, Apr 03, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Fri, Apr 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 04, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 04, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Sat, Apr 04, 2:00pm - 4:45pm
Auditorium

Mon, Apr 06, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 07, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 08, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 08, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Wed, Apr 08, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Zoom Program 2

Wed, Apr 08, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
TechZone

Cancelled
Wed, Apr 08, 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Thu, Apr 09, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 09, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 09, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 09, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 09, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Thu, Apr 09, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
1 S. High St., Akron, OH 44308

Fri, Apr 10, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 11, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Sat, Apr 11, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Sun, Apr 12, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Auditorium

Mon, Apr 13, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone

Tue, Apr 14, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Tue, Apr 14, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Apr 15, 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 15, 2:45pm - 3:15pm
Children's Library Educator Lab

Wed, Apr 15, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Thu, Apr 16, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 16, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 16, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 16, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Apr 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Educator Lab,Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 18, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Computer Lab 1,Computer Lab 2,TechZone

Sat, Apr 18, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Cancelled
Mon, Apr 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Mon, Apr 20, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Teen Meeting Room

Tue, Apr 21, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 22, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Meeting Room 2AB

Wed, Apr 22, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
TechZone

Wed, Apr 22, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 23, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 23, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 23, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 23, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Teen Meeting Room

Thu, Apr 23, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, Apr 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, Apr 25, 10:30am - 11:00am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sun, Apr 26, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Auditorium

Mon, Apr 27, 7:00pm - 9:00pm
115 E. Market St., Akron, OH 44308

Tue, Apr 28, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Wed, Apr 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room
This event is full

Wed, Apr 29, 10:30am - 11:30am
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A
Registration opens Wednesday, April 8 2026 at 10:00am

Wed, Apr 29, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Wed, Apr 29, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
TechZone

Thu, Apr 30, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Quiet Study Room 1

Thu, Apr 30, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Thu, Apr 30, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 30, 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Small Business & Nonprofit Resource Center Space A

Thu, Apr 30, 6:15pm - 8:00pm
Auditorium

Fri, May 01, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Children's Library Programming Room

Sat, May 02, 2:00pm - 4:45pm
Auditorium