***BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THIS ON-DEMAND WEBINAR PLEASE REVIEW IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW***
A PLA 2026 Virtual Conference On-Demand Webinar
Toys left out all the time, an unstaffed art room, splatter painting indoors, a sand table out on the floor for an entire month...and much more. These things really happen in the Youth & Family Services department at the Kenosha Public Library! Learn how making a mess can benefit your patrons, why we embrace it, and how we manage it. You also get a ton of fun programming ideas that range from slightly untidy to totally catastrophic!
Recorded live during the PLA 2026 Virtual Conference, April 1–3, 2026.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand that the way children learn is inherently messy, and that library staff can support their learning by giving them space to make a mess;
- Confidently set up programs, spaces, staffing, and workflows for successful mess-making and mess management; and
- Advocate for the many benefits of messy play in public libraries to colleagues, administration, and stakeholders.
Who Should Attend
This on-demand webinar is intended for any public library worker wishing to sample the educational offerings of the PLA 2026 Virtual Conference.
If you were registered for the PLA 2026 Virtual Conference, or were an in-person full-conference registrant who purchased the Virtual Conference add-on, then you already have access to this recording in the online Conference console until July 3, 2026.
Panelists
Heather Thompson is the Head of Youth & Family Services at the Kenosha Public Library in Kenosha, WI. There is nothing she loves more than enabling children (and her team!) to try new things, learn through play, be creative, and make a mess.
Shawn Wolf is the Learning Coordinator at KPL Kids @ Uptown Lofts, a library branch specifically for ages 0-11 and their caregivers. She is passionate about the power of learning through play, as well as providing free continuing education workshops on early literacy for early childhood care providers.
Important Registration Information
Log into or create your ALA eLearning account
An ALA eLearning account is required to register. Don’t have an account? Create one for free by going to the “Log in” menu located at the top right corner of your screen. No membership is required to create the account.
Redeem your signup code to complete your registration
Once you’ve registered for this on-demand webinar, a signup code will be added to your ALA eLearning account and emailed to you. Find the signup code on your signup code page, then redeem it on your account’s dashboard to complete your enrollment in this on-demand webinar.
- Need to purchase registration on behalf of a colleague?
- Need to register a group of 3 or more?
- Need to register with a purchase order?
Review the ALA eLearning FAQ if you need more information.
Accommodations
This on-demand webinar is closed captioned in English (United States).
If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.
Tech Requirements
To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.
Contact
This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).
If you have questions or problems accessing a recording, send a message to plawebinars@ala.org or call 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).
