Our Youth Services department recently underwent a freshening up. After reconfiguring our floor space and thinking about how it is used we decided to purchase several MacBook PROs for afterschool use. We had been circulating e-readers and tablets so this was a natural next step for us. We made an initial purchase of eight laptops, and the kids went wild! We rolled out this new service a year ago and it has proven to be so popular that we had to invest in six more just to keep up with the demand. So, how does this work you wonder? First, the laptops can only be used by children in grades 6-12th in our Youth Services department, they never leave the library. All one needs is a library card in good standing, a valid student ID and they are ready to borrow one. We ask each child to read and sign…
Author: Digital Content Task Force
Tween Tabs Take Two
In many ways, it is difficult to believe that my library has been circulating iPads in the children’s library for almost three years. Despite the continued discourse on the role of tablet technology among pre-readers, there is no question that children and families have continued to integrate such devices into their lives. In our community parents look to the librarians to guide their app selections, or at least point them towards the resources that can assist in discerning which purchases to make. It first began with the preschool set, as our library made the decision to circulate Early Literacy Kits. The idea was to infuse tech into what we as children’s librarians were already expounding to parents and caregivers about the practices they can master in order to cultivate a reader. Now after so many parents have expressed that their child has already “Spot the Red Dot,” so to speak, what’s next?…
Back to School E-Edition
As students head back to the classroom many libraries are planning outreach opportunities to their local schools and learning institutions. For my library, this season’s goal is to bring increased visibility to the library’s digital offerings and provide programs to serve the technology needs of our community. If you are looking for ways to highlight your eCollection and other similar initiatives here are some suggestions for the new school year. Digital Family Open House Each year after the December holidays we host an event for patrons to bring in their new devices for tutorials on downloading eBooks. Timely as it may be, throughout the year we find many families who are still unaware that you can check out an eBook from the library. This September we are inviting families to bring in their devices for an Open House event to serve all their tech needs. While everyone is in back…
5 Ways to Turn Homework Help into Summer Fun
We usually think of our library’s online resources as homework help, but in summertime kids can use them to explore the topics they really love. 1. Animals- Who doesn’t love animals? Online encyclopedias include pictures and even video, along with articles on everything from aardvarks to zebras. 2. Places- Young travelers can find out about, or just plain find, destinations near and far in geography and history resources. 3. Celebrities- Whether they’re into sports, movies, or music, biography and news databases are keeping up with kids’ favorite stars. 4. Family- Tap genealogy resources to clarify the family tree when visiting relatives. Figure out who’s a third cousin and who’s a second cousin once removed or find great-grandma in the 1930 census. 5. Weird stuff- News sites just for kids include many stories of the bizarre. Is it true that an accountant fell on a crocodile? Look it up! Have you…
Looking to Learn More About Kids and Digital Media?
The ALSC Digital Content Task Force has been hard at work on the new Digital Media Resources page, a go-to list for children’s librarians. We’ve collected the best articles, blog posts and websites on the issues and research, apps and eBooks to help you navigate the digital frontier. Whether you’re recommending resources for parents, looking for new program ideas, or advocating for access, you’ll find something to help here. We’ll be updating the page regularly, so please be sure to send us your contributions! Headed to ALA Annual in Las Vegas? Please join us on Sunday from 1-2:30 in the Las Vegas Hotel for the Digital Content Task Force and Children and Technology Committee program: Whet Your APPetite: Rapid Reviews of Apps for Children from Preschool to Tweens. Allison Santos, Amy Graves, Cen Campbell, Claire Moore, Marianne Martens, and Paige Bentley-Flannery will showcase new and favorite apps and present ideas…
What’s all the Hoopla for kids?
Many libraries are now offering Hoopla, an innovative new service that gives you access to thousands of streaming movies and television, music, and audiobook titles, all for free. All you need is your customer is their library card to get started. This is proving to be a very popular service we are offering in my library since it is being widely used, but by adults. What you may not know is Hoopla is an excellent resource for children’s materials too. I was delighted to find a wide assortment of fun and interesting titles for our youngest customers. Not only does Hoopla’s catalog offer classic titles in audiobooks and movies but current, recently released audiobooks and even movies that were in the theater just last year! Even more impressive is their children’s music collection. There were so many titles available, from story time favorites, Disney tunes and riffs on many popular…
Marketing eBook Collections
Many libraries that offer eBook collections may have seen steady growth over time, but there’s always room for increased ways to build the hype and use of digital collections. At my library there are still many families who are unaware that libraries even provide this service. The fact that returns are automatic, and that it makes traveling with kids much more carefree is enough to make some patrons prick up their ears. With kids, there are always opportunities to share that the library also has eBooks to check out. I find that young patrons are easily won over once they learn that even though #565 of their favorite series may not be on the physical shelf, there’s usually a digital copy ready to read. In addition to patrons who own eReaders and other devices, it’s important not to ignore the kids in our communities who don’t have access to new…
Jack Prelutsky’s new poetry app!
April is National Poetry Month! One of my favorite children’s poets, Jack Prelutsky has a new poetry app, The New Kid on the Block – interactive storybook of poems! It’s based on his book, The New Kid on the Block and includes a collection of eighteen poems that will make you laugh out loud! The app was created by Wanderful Interactive Storybooks and Living Books. To begin your poetry adventure, click on either “Read to Me” or “Let Me Play.” Scroll through the selection of poems, then pick a poem! Jack Pretlusky will be your guide. To select a poem, click on the arrows. To play inside a poem, click “Let me play.” While you’re deciding, Jack Pretlusky will sing you a poem about an alligator. This will make you smile. One of the key components in a good book app is the ability to clearly see and hear the words. The New Kid on the Block app does this and…