I wrote this in quarantine. My toddler had a close contact exposure to Covid-19 in her daycare class and we kept the whole family home out of an abundance of caution. (Everyone is healthy.) It’s a situation many of our patrons and staff may face now that kids have returned to school or pre-school. The Delta variant put a different spin on the usual back-to-school and fall programming, with many libraries still only allowing outdoor or virtual programming. How can we support our patrons during this fraught back-to-school season? First, remember to take care of yourselves. Burnout, compassion fatigue, Covid fatigue—whatever you call it, it’s real. Try to take some time for yourself whether it’s a staycation, regular exercise, or enjoying a hobby. Next, understand the behaviors associated with stress and worry in your patrons. If folks share with you, validate their feelings. Fellow Early Childhood Programs and Services Committee…
Katrina to Ida: Staff Communication and Community
There has been a lot written, in this blog and in other publications, about the role libraries and librarians can play in helping communities that experience a natural disaster. Children’s librarians play an especially important role in providing kids and families with resources for recovery and resiliency. But library staff are also going through the disaster and aftermath themselves. Having gone through two major hurricanes, 16 years apart to the day, I would like to share what I’ve learned about taking care of the library’s greatest asset during and after a disaster-the staff.
IFLA’s Libraries for Children and Young Adults Section
I am delighted to be the new Chair for IFLA’s Libraries for Children and Young Adults Section. If you are not familiar with the Section, I encourage you to learn more! I joined this Section as the ALSC representative to IFLA in 2017 and became Secretary of the Section in 2019.
Homework Help
It’s that time of year. Kids are back in school and will soon be coming into the library for homework and research, not just for pleasure reading. I admit…I have always enjoyed helping children find the answers they need to a homework question. I find it strangely satisfying. And this year, as the pandemic continues, students are going to need our support more than ever. How can we help?
Tween/Teen Privacy: Inside and Outside the Library
Privacy and intellectual freedom go hand in hand, once you think about it. The ability to explore new ideas and information -without fear of judgement or repercussions- directly supports the growth of intellectual freedom. As tweens and teens seek knowledge to understand themselves and their place in the world, they benefit from protections inside, and knowledge outside, the library. Here are some resources that may be useful in thinking about working with teens and tweens in your library!
A Little Marie Kondo for the Children’s Department
You all know Marie Kondo, right? She of the Spark Joy fame? I love watching her shows on Netflix. I just watched a new season last week, and it inspired me to think about decluttering our library’s programs a bit, now that our Fall session is underway. We are still in a strange “not quite where we used to be, but not mid-pandemic either” place, so I thought it would be a good time to reflect on activities that we embraced during the pandemic to see whether they are worth keeping. What changes did we make that the public really embraced? What did we love as a staff? What is everyone just OVER?
Homeschool Projects
Are you a project person? I am! Whether it’s scrapbooking, knitting, or making cards, I like to have a variety of projects to work on. In looking at my homeschool programming choices, it’s obvious that my “project personality” extends to the Library as well. I enjoy creating month-long series of programs, which culminate in some sort of project.
Hispanic Heritage Month 2021
National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 is upon us! Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15…celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. [Starting] in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Johnson, it was later expanded by President Reagan in 1988 to cover from September 15 to October 15 The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period. — Library of Congress Why is Hispanic Heritage Month so Important? Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month every year is critical for American…