Inspired Educators Symposium

Educators get the VIP treatment at the Library! Join us for a special day designed for pre-K through twelfth-grade educators and caregivers.

Free hands-on professional development trainings, presentations, book talks, vendors, and demos throughout the day.

Free trainings provided through the Early Childhood Resource Center and Child Guidance starting at 9:30 am. Educators only need to register for the Ohio Approved Early Childhood Trainings marked with an asterisk (*) in the schedule of events below. To register for these, visit registry.occrra.org. Sign in to your account and search by training ID.

Registration to attend the other symposium events is not required.

For training or other event questions, contact Laura McFalls at lmcfalls@akronlibrary.org.

Schedule of Events

9:15 am - 3 pm: Registration & Event Information Table
Atrium Level

9:30 am - 12:30 pm: “We’ve Got the Beat” presented by ECRC* (ST10135662)
Atrium Level Meeting Room

9:30 am - noon: “Time to Rhyme” presented by ECRC* (ST10135663)
Atrium Level Meeting Room

10-10:30 am: “AI: A Conversation About Artificial Intelligence,” facilitated by ASCPL librarians 
Atrium Level Meeting Room

10:30-11:30 am: "Fire & Ice," hands-on science activities for kindergarten-12th grade, presented by The Akron Global Polymer Academy
Atrium Level Meeting Room

11:45 am - 12:45 pm: “Tween & Teen Book Talk,” youth librarians in the Teen Division share a variety of fantastic fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels for 6th-12th graders
Teen Division (Third Level)

12:45-1:15 pm: TechZone Demo & Free Gift
TechZone (First Level)

12:30-1:30 pm: "Fire & Ice," hands-on science activities for kindergarten-12th grade, presented by The Akron Global Polymer Academy.
Atrium Level Meeting Room

1-2:30 pm: “Flip It: Four Steps to Help Children Learn about Feelings and Reduce Behaviors” presented by Child Guidance & Family Solutions* (ST10135761)
Atrium Level Meeting Room

2:30-3 pm: “Science Sources: A Database Exploration” presented by ASCPL Librarians
Atrium Level Meeting Room

3 pm: Raffle Drawings
Auditorium (Atrium Level)

*Pre-Registration Required

All-Day Events, Resources, Displays & Free Gifts (while supplies last), 10 am - 3 pm

First Level

-Free gift for all educators, childcare providers, and home school parents, provided by Summit Education Initiative. 
TechZone Information Desk

-Teachers are invited to be a guest reader for our Dial-A-Story program. What fun it would be for students and adults to listen to their teacher’s recorded story! Free gift for participants.
TechZone Recording Studio

-Take a look at our “Kid Entrepreneurs” and educator book displays, and see how else the Business, Government & Science Division can support you as an educator or business owner. Representatives from the Ohio Jobs & Family Services Child Care Licensing will be available to provide information and give guidance on how to start up a family or child care center.
Business, Government & Science Division

Second Level

-Free Books for classrooms throughout the day! Load up a box or two to take back to your students and classrooms. 
Children’s Library Program Room

-Tours of Resources for Early Childhood Educators (RECE) Lab and educators resources.
RECE Lab (Children's Library)

-Educators resources and book lists and displays.
Children’s Library

-Vendors and community partner tables: Stop by to receive info, resources, and giveaways. SEI, ECRC, Child Guidance, ODJFS, Toy Resource Center, AMHA/SPARK, Kaplan, Children’s Museum, Art Museum, and more!
Garden Trio Corridor

Third Level

-Grade 6-12 educator resources: Stop by the Teen Division to hear how youth librarians can collaborate with you in your classrooms and which resources are available to you at your library. 
Teen Division

Upcoming Events