In my June blog, I talked about a summer drop-in program pilot occurring in my library, including the successes and the challenges. Since that article, we have had several more popular and overwhelming programs, including one in which 75 people (!!) came to have Messy Science fun…including slime making. As you might imagine, this was more than a bit overwhelming, and more than a little pricey. We went though 4 gallons of slime. I had NO idea we’d get so many people, and luckily, I tend to overbuy and had enough. I joke that it’s the same impulse my Italian family has to ensure 3 times the amount of needed food is available at every family get-together. However, what I wanted to talk about was a comment I fielded the next day when a customer overheard staff talking about the huge turnout—why do libraries bother with slime programs?…
Month: July 2019
Family Friendly Audio Books
Every summer I get multiple reference questions about audio books for family road trips. My first question is always, “What are the ages of everyone who will be in the car?”
Three Principles for Intentional Movement in Storytime
The word “intentionality” has taken on greater meaning within the world of library service to the very young in recent years, following the publication of Project VIEWS2 and Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide.[1] Storytime presenters are thinking more about how they want to support early literacy development through their programming in the materials they select and-more crucially—the way that they use those materials and engage with children and families throughout the storytime experience. Another critical domain of school readiness, however, remains less well understood: physical development. Most storytimes in 2019 incorporate movement to some degree. However, that movement is typically used for the purpose of “getting the wiggles out” so that children are having fun and can become settled for the next reading or rhyming portion of the program. When we understand a few basic principles of physical development, we can begin to apply the same…
2019 Summer Learning on Leadership and Management
Looking over the ALSC Blog archives, I was inspired by 2017’s Summer Reading for Managers list, which included a number of stellar titles (go read them already!) As part of my own professional summer reading and podcast listening, I’ve been focusing on the topics of time management and habit change, both of which help prevent burn-out by allowing us to play the long game. Currently, I’ve been inhaling Laura Vanderkam’s work, re-reading 168 Hours, I Know How She Does It and Off the Clock. I appreciate that Vanderkam starts from an abundance mindset, instead of one of scarcity. All of us have the same 168 hours in a week, which over the course of a month provides plenty of time both for obligations and the hobbies or causes that we are passionate about. Vanderkam is a big proponent of time tracking to pinpoint when we are spending our time on…
Getting the Picture: An Artistic Community Partnership
As a librarian who doesn’t work in a traditional library setting, I am always on the lookout for novel ways to bring books to unexpected places. Thanks to an all-hands-on-deck operation, we recently welcomed hundreds of children and families to connect with a children’s literacy-based art exhibition at a community hub that inspired many young readers to craft stories of their own. Here’s a look at who partnered in the effort, and some ideas about how you might seek these opportunities in your own community. First, it helps to have a sense of the place. The Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus (THEARC) brings together more than a dozen non-profit partners that offer social and cultural programs to children and families living east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. Within its three buildings — which sit on almost 17 acres that include a farm and playground — kids…
Incorporating Intellectual Freedom and Information Literacy into Programming
Raising awareness of intellectual freedom and information literacy is important, and not just during Banned Books Week. The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee is launching a series of blog posts with practical tips and samples of programming that incorporates these topics in a fun and engaging manner.
Pop Culture Programming: Hakuna Matata
Happy Friday!
I Scream for Ice Cream Reads
July is National Ice Cream Month! Check it out. Celebrate July by eating ice cream all month long… at least that is my plan. If you have a freezer at work– allow me to introduce the concept of work ice cream– a special pint that you can take spoonfuls of when you just need a minutes peace… but I digress.