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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
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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
AtriumJoin 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.
Main Library
Hours
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.