Workshop

Presentation Description:

Our interactions with children matter! Every word, gesture, and facial expression we share with a child helps build their brains, shaping how they develop, think, and feel. As trusted community hubs, libraries are uniquely positioned—alongside their partners—to deliver positive, place-based programs to support early years development with families every day.

A key concept in supporting child development is the idea of ‘serve and return’ interactions. This metaphor, inspired by ball games like tennis or volleyball, illustrates the responsive, back-and-forth exchanges where one person “serves” an interactional cue, and the other “returns” it. Researchers at the University of Queensland have expanded this concept into the Serve–Return–Rally–Learn (SRRL) framework, which highlights the importance of sustained interactions—or “rallies”—between adults and children as a foundation for learning and development.

The State Library of Queensland has been working in collaboration with the Queensland Brain Institute, to translate this research into practical tools and strategies for public libraries. By embedding these insights into library programs and spaces, we aim to maximise the impact of everyday interactions between children, families and library staff.

This hands-on, interactive workshop will introduce participants to the SRRL framework and the research-based resources developed for library contexts.
Attendees will gain practical knowledge and tools to:

• Facilitate brain-building interactions with children.
• Model effective interactional strategies to carers.
• Promote optimal child development through everyday library programs and spaces.

Join us to explore how libraries can continue to play a vital role in supporting families and shaping the early years of children’s lives.