Preparing for the start of the 2020-2021 school year has been one of the most, shall we say, unusual experiences for libraries in generations. Would schools be opening in person or e-learning or a hybrid version? Would families have options? Would there be an uptick in homeschooling? Many, if not all of us, have had to grapple with this situation. My library serves four school districts as well as several parochial and private schools. We spent much of the late spring and summer trying to plan for each contingency, since there were so many unknowns. As late as the end of July, all of our districts were planning to offer families a choice between attending school in person or e-learning. The parochial schools had already decided to hold school in person. When Covid-19 positivity rates started to climb, one by one, our districts decided to move exclusively to e-learning. With…
Author: Alexa Newman
Alexa Newman is a Youth Services Librarian at the Algonquin Area Public Library in Illinois, where she focuses on community programming. Besides her regularly scheduled duties, Alexa created and runs the library’s annual drama camp, storytelling festival, and teaching garden. In her spare time she loves to read, dabble in the arts, and putter in as many gardens as possible. Alexa is currently serving on the School-Age Programs and Service Committee and on the AASL/ALSC/YALSA Joint Committee on School/Public Library Cooperation. She is a former Chair of the Quick Lists Consulting Committee.
Does Drama Camp Translate to Virtual Format?
O, Social distancing, how thou art a thorn in my side! For the past seven years, I’ve been running a two week drama camp as one of the many activities my library offers during our summer reading program. It is, typically, my biggest and most involved program each year. I’m used to parents and campers rushing into the library to sign up for camp on the first day registration opens. It is usually filled with a full wait list in just a matter of a day or two. Campers are rising 3rd-8th graders; counselors are high school and college students. We do Shakespeare in Elizabethan English. The campers put on a full (albeit abridged) production on the last day of camp. The camp has steadily grown over the years. The past two years we have been on a real stage, with theater lighting, sound, and av effects. We’ve done…
Sheltering in Place : Day 5,382 – One Librarian’s Perspective
Has anyone else lost track of what day of the week it is at least once since this all began? Please, assure me I’m not the only one! I’ve lost count of Zoom meetings, Google Hangouts, and webinars. And, since I live alone, it seems like forever since I’ve seen another, actual living, breathing human being.
Long Time Member, First Time Attendee #PLA2020
Although I have been a librarian for 25 years, and have been attending ALA and Midwinter for as many years, this is my very first PLA conference. I must admit I’ve been a little nervous about being the new kid on the block. It’s been a mix of the familiar and shiny new to me. Since it is smaller in scale than ALA Annual, I think it would be a great first conference for new library staff to test the waters. Some of the things I’ve liked the most are the scheduled breaks, free coat check, snacks and bevvies on the exhibit floor, and the fact that the featured speakers are not in competition with programs and meetings. For me it has been easier to have a more rounded conference experience. I also really enjoyed the yoga class in the Wellness Center this morning. There are still openings for the…
Mail Those Books and Swag Home #alamw2020
Midwinter is winding down, and many of us are now in possession of bags and bags full of free swag. Books, tote bags, books, pens, books, posters, books … you get the idea. Instead of trying to squeeze all of your finds into your luggage, consider using the Post Office that’s right on the exhibit hall floor. That’s right. You heard me. There is a temporary U.S. Post Office right on the exhibit floor. I mail all that stuff home. No more struggling to lift that carry on bag into the overheard compartment. No more repacking at the airport so my bags aren’t over the weight limit. It is so much easier than trying to haul them to plane, train, or automobile. And the added bonus is that I get a package in the mail a few days after I get home. And there are always a few surprises in…
Yoga and Mindfulness for Kids
I am passionate about yoga, so much so that I went to a yoga school and obtained my certification through Yoga Alliance. Combine that with my love of youth programming, and I had to develop programs for our library. I teach classes for all ages, from adults (with students over 80!) to preschoolers. My youth programs focus on fun, fitness, and mindfulness. Yoga has seen a steady increase in interest over the past several years. Yoga for kids is also on the rise. I’ve been conducting yoga storytimes, kids yoga, and tween yoga classes for the past 18 months. They are all popular with our young patrons, with yoga storytime being the most sought after program. There has been a heightened focus on mindfulness and meditation in the media and with the general public. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness with children can increase concentration and reduce stress…
Storytimes on the Fly
Picture this: you’re getting settled in for your morning, maybe getting a cup of coffee, checking emails, going through mail when the message comes in: someone has called in and now you are going to have to fill in for storytime. With fifteen minutes notice. And they haven’t gathered their materials together in one place. You’ll have to punt. This has happened to many of us, mayhap even most of us at least one time in our career. These moments can be stressful and overwhelming, especially for people who like to be prepared. How do you find a theme, pull books, flannels, music, all in a matter of minutes? Here are a few tips that I have learned over the years that can help you prepare a storytime on the fly. Have office copies of your favorite picture books. Have playlists of your best storytime action music. Keep…
Art Programs in the Library: Traditional and High Tech
Arts programs in our schools are perennially on the chopping block. Too many school districts in the US have had to eliminate or reduce art education. Some of the cuts are budget related, others are tied to curriculum standards. In a recently published paper, The Brown Center Chalkboard concluded that “… that a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes.” My library has picked up the arts mantle and offers a broad range of art programs for people of all ages. We offer a variety of programming including in house programming, self directed art in the makerspace, and outsider instruction. In House Crafts The Youth Services Department offers drop in preschool crafts every few weeks where families can bring their preschoolers to make a variety of crafts at their own pace. We also host recurring programs including school age…