Friday, October 18, 2013
Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading, and daydreaming
On Monday author Neil Gaiman made a speech to the Reading Agency in London. Since then, the speech has been transcribed and shared all around the Internet. It's actually a beautiful speech, and it explains quite well why reading, and especially why reading for pleasure, is so important for children. The speech is a bit long, but it's definitely worth it. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Monster Storytime
To get ready for Halloween, this week's storytime was all about monsters! Here are the books we read:
When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Nick Sharratt
"When a monster is born there are two possibilities. Either it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, or it's an under-your-bed monster. If it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, that's that. But if it's an under-your-bed monster, there are two possibilities..." This story continues in this format, always presenting our monster friend with two possibilities. While not really a Choose Your Own Adventure story, this book does show us that there are always different choices. Besides, some of the options that the monster has are just plain silly. The kids were actually enraptured by this book, and they especially liked it when the story came full circle at the end.
If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
The Emberleys has written lots of fun monster stories. I picked this one from the bunch because it also lends itself very well to some moving and imaginative play as the kids can snort and growl, smack their claws, and twitch their tails just like a monster does as we read. I always like to make sure that we have at least one stand-up-and-move activity during storytime since I've found that it helps to keep the kids focused, and this book fit the bill perfectly.
Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
This is actually one of my favorite Mo Willems books of all time. Leonardo is a terrible monster. Not a scary monster - a terrible monster. He's no good at scarring anyone! So he decides to find the biggest scardy-cat kid in the world, a boy named Sam, and scare the tuna salad out of him to make himself feel better. Needless to say, that doesn't exactly go as planned. But perhaps Leonardo and Sam can become friends instead.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
I ended up not having time for this fourth story, but I always think it's a good idea to have an extra in your back pocket just in case. This classic book could be a quieter, more soothing choice for your group than If You're a Monster if you think that your group needs it.
We also did a few other activities. Credit for both of these activities belongs to one of my co-workers, who created them.
First, we had to look for Little Monster under the bed.
There are seven beds, each one a different color. I put each of the beds up on our magnet board, secretly hiding the little monster underneath one of them. First we counted the beds and talked about what colors they are. Next I asked the kids to guess in their heads which bed they thought the monster was hiding under. After given the kids a moment to make their guess, I said the rhyme: "Little Monster, Little Monster, are you under the _____ bed?" Fill the blank in with a color, and remove the bed of that color to reveal if the monster is under the bed. When I did the activity, I purposely removed all but two of the bed before revealing which bed the monster was under to build suspense. The activity can be repeated as many times as you want, hiding the monster under a different bed each time.
We also told another story using a flannelboard based on Ed Emberley's book Go Away, Big Green Monster.
In the book, die cuts reveal more and more of the monster's face as you turn the pages, and then parts of his face are taken away as the reader tells him to go away. Felt pieces made it lots of fun to assemble and take apart the face. Layering felt pieces is obviously a bit different than using die cuts so I did have to re-order just a couple of the pieces to make the flannelboard work easily, but no harm done there.
As always we did a craft to end our storytime. We made monster masks!
I found a template for a cute monster mask here. I enlarged the mask just a little bit to make it a better size (I think I zoomed in to 110%) and then printed the enlarged masks on cardstock. I cut the masks out and cut string to tie the masks in advance, so all the kids had to do was color. They loved it! We had lots of scary, growling, stomping monsters at the library after storytime was all finished.
"When a monster is born there are two possibilities. Either it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, or it's an under-your-bed monster. If it's a faraway-in-the-forests monster, that's that. But if it's an under-your-bed monster, there are two possibilities..." This story continues in this format, always presenting our monster friend with two possibilities. While not really a Choose Your Own Adventure story, this book does show us that there are always different choices. Besides, some of the options that the monster has are just plain silly. The kids were actually enraptured by this book, and they especially liked it when the story came full circle at the end.
If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley
The Emberleys has written lots of fun monster stories. I picked this one from the bunch because it also lends itself very well to some moving and imaginative play as the kids can snort and growl, smack their claws, and twitch their tails just like a monster does as we read. I always like to make sure that we have at least one stand-up-and-move activity during storytime since I've found that it helps to keep the kids focused, and this book fit the bill perfectly.
This is actually one of my favorite Mo Willems books of all time. Leonardo is a terrible monster. Not a scary monster - a terrible monster. He's no good at scarring anyone! So he decides to find the biggest scardy-cat kid in the world, a boy named Sam, and scare the tuna salad out of him to make himself feel better. Needless to say, that doesn't exactly go as planned. But perhaps Leonardo and Sam can become friends instead.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
I ended up not having time for this fourth story, but I always think it's a good idea to have an extra in your back pocket just in case. This classic book could be a quieter, more soothing choice for your group than If You're a Monster if you think that your group needs it.
We also did a few other activities. Credit for both of these activities belongs to one of my co-workers, who created them.
First, we had to look for Little Monster under the bed.
There are seven beds, each one a different color. I put each of the beds up on our magnet board, secretly hiding the little monster underneath one of them. First we counted the beds and talked about what colors they are. Next I asked the kids to guess in their heads which bed they thought the monster was hiding under. After given the kids a moment to make their guess, I said the rhyme: "Little Monster, Little Monster, are you under the _____ bed?" Fill the blank in with a color, and remove the bed of that color to reveal if the monster is under the bed. When I did the activity, I purposely removed all but two of the bed before revealing which bed the monster was under to build suspense. The activity can be repeated as many times as you want, hiding the monster under a different bed each time.
We also told another story using a flannelboard based on Ed Emberley's book Go Away, Big Green Monster.
In the book, die cuts reveal more and more of the monster's face as you turn the pages, and then parts of his face are taken away as the reader tells him to go away. Felt pieces made it lots of fun to assemble and take apart the face. Layering felt pieces is obviously a bit different than using die cuts so I did have to re-order just a couple of the pieces to make the flannelboard work easily, but no harm done there.
As always we did a craft to end our storytime. We made monster masks!
I found a template for a cute monster mask here. I enlarged the mask just a little bit to make it a better size (I think I zoomed in to 110%) and then printed the enlarged masks on cardstock. I cut the masks out and cut string to tie the masks in advance, so all the kids had to do was color. They loved it! We had lots of scary, growling, stomping monsters at the library after storytime was all finished.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Star Wars Reads Day
On October 5 my library was able to participate in the national Star Wars Reads Day event. The event at my library was one of hundreds of events taking place all over the country, and one of four events in the local two-county area. It was lots of fun! The program was fairly well attended, with an estimated 40 children and their corresponding adults in attendance.
Several stations were set up in different areas of the library, each with a different Star Wars activity to try. The idea was that kids could wander from activity to activity at their own pace, picking and choosing what they wanted to try.
Three crafts were set up in our Community Room under the supervision of a few teen volunteers. Generally, the crafts took care of themselves and kids could easily complete them on their own or with a parent's assistance. The teens were mostly there to be the authority figure in the room and offer assistance if needed.
First, we did some Star Wars origami.
I copied the instructions for Yoda, Darth Vader, and R2-D2 from the Origami Yoda books by Tom Angleberger. These designs are, in the grand scheme of origami, very easy to follow. Yoda only requires five easy folds to complete, so even very young children were able to create some origami with a little help. No fancy origami paper required: Angleberger's designs are all intended to be made with scrap paper, so I simply cut colored computer paper into fourths. Crayons and markers were set out along with the colored paper so that kids could add details to their creations.
The second craft project was taken from the Star Wars Thumb Doodles book published by Klutz.
I purchased a copy of the book and set it out along with some blank cardstock bookmarks (we had some pre-cut left over from a past program, but you could easily cut your own cardstock too), stamp pads, and markers, and wipes for clean up. The kids were invited to copy the designs included in the book and create their own bookmarks. They did a great job!
Finally, kids were invited to make their own lightsabers using twister balloons and toilet paper tubes. I discovered this project here.
This was a super easy project that, while appealing for all ages, was especially well-suited for our youngest attendees. It was probably also our most popular activity of the day! Amazingly enough, we didn't have a single popped balloon outside of the Community Room were the lightsabers were constructed.
Outside of the craft room we had a scavenger hunt throughout the library.
Ten different characters were hidden in plain sight in different areas of the library. Each child was given a worksheet listing all of the places where they needed to look for a character. When they found the character, they simply needed to write the name of the character next to the location where it was found. Some of these names were a tad writing-intensive ("Chewbacca" has a lot of letters!), but very young children all had help from their parents if they needed it and no one complained at all about the writing. Kids who turned in their scavenger hunt sheets to the Reference Desk were entered into a drawing for a few Star Wars book prizes.
We also had a big book display set up in the Children's Room. Our smaller programming room adjacent to the Children's Room was set up as a special reading area.
I had been hoarding some of these Star Wars books for awhile in anticipation of the display, so I had lots of books ready to go. The Darth Vader costume came courtesy of one of my co-workers whose son had dressed as Vader for Halloween the year before. The reading area was not as well used and I would have preferred (I blame some staffing issues that made it difficult to really inform kids that the reading room was an option), but a decent number of books were checked out on the day of this program. Good thing - the Star Wars book are the whole point of the event!
Finally, there was also an activity for adults. Our Reference department put together a trivia contest to challenge fans of the franchise. While the Reference department had adults in mind when they created the contest, they did allow kids to participate too. Anyone who wanted to play simply had to answer eleven questions. Most of these questions were multiple choice, but a handful required you to write in your answer. The person who answered the most questions correctly won a lovely Star Wars prize pack.
All in all, the program was a great success! Everyone seemed to have a great time. We had decent number of kids come to the program in costume, which made it all the more fun. Tiny Darth Vaders, Clone Troopers, Jedi, and Ewoks always make programs more exciting. I'm hoping that we can participate in the Star Wars Reads Day event again next year - and hopefully get some of the "pro" costumed characters from the 501st Legion to attend as well!
Several stations were set up in different areas of the library, each with a different Star Wars activity to try. The idea was that kids could wander from activity to activity at their own pace, picking and choosing what they wanted to try.
Three crafts were set up in our Community Room under the supervision of a few teen volunteers. Generally, the crafts took care of themselves and kids could easily complete them on their own or with a parent's assistance. The teens were mostly there to be the authority figure in the room and offer assistance if needed.
First, we did some Star Wars origami.
I copied the instructions for Yoda, Darth Vader, and R2-D2 from the Origami Yoda books by Tom Angleberger. These designs are, in the grand scheme of origami, very easy to follow. Yoda only requires five easy folds to complete, so even very young children were able to create some origami with a little help. No fancy origami paper required: Angleberger's designs are all intended to be made with scrap paper, so I simply cut colored computer paper into fourths. Crayons and markers were set out along with the colored paper so that kids could add details to their creations.
The second craft project was taken from the Star Wars Thumb Doodles book published by Klutz.
I purchased a copy of the book and set it out along with some blank cardstock bookmarks (we had some pre-cut left over from a past program, but you could easily cut your own cardstock too), stamp pads, and markers, and wipes for clean up. The kids were invited to copy the designs included in the book and create their own bookmarks. They did a great job!
Finally, kids were invited to make their own lightsabers using twister balloons and toilet paper tubes. I discovered this project here.
This was a super easy project that, while appealing for all ages, was especially well-suited for our youngest attendees. It was probably also our most popular activity of the day! Amazingly enough, we didn't have a single popped balloon outside of the Community Room were the lightsabers were constructed.
Outside of the craft room we had a scavenger hunt throughout the library.
Ten different characters were hidden in plain sight in different areas of the library. Each child was given a worksheet listing all of the places where they needed to look for a character. When they found the character, they simply needed to write the name of the character next to the location where it was found. Some of these names were a tad writing-intensive ("Chewbacca" has a lot of letters!), but very young children all had help from their parents if they needed it and no one complained at all about the writing. Kids who turned in their scavenger hunt sheets to the Reference Desk were entered into a drawing for a few Star Wars book prizes.
We also had a big book display set up in the Children's Room. Our smaller programming room adjacent to the Children's Room was set up as a special reading area.
I had been hoarding some of these Star Wars books for awhile in anticipation of the display, so I had lots of books ready to go. The Darth Vader costume came courtesy of one of my co-workers whose son had dressed as Vader for Halloween the year before. The reading area was not as well used and I would have preferred (I blame some staffing issues that made it difficult to really inform kids that the reading room was an option), but a decent number of books were checked out on the day of this program. Good thing - the Star Wars book are the whole point of the event!
Finally, there was also an activity for adults. Our Reference department put together a trivia contest to challenge fans of the franchise. While the Reference department had adults in mind when they created the contest, they did allow kids to participate too. Anyone who wanted to play simply had to answer eleven questions. Most of these questions were multiple choice, but a handful required you to write in your answer. The person who answered the most questions correctly won a lovely Star Wars prize pack.
All in all, the program was a great success! Everyone seemed to have a great time. We had decent number of kids come to the program in costume, which made it all the more fun. Tiny Darth Vaders, Clone Troopers, Jedi, and Ewoks always make programs more exciting. I'm hoping that we can participate in the Star Wars Reads Day event again next year - and hopefully get some of the "pro" costumed characters from the 501st Legion to attend as well!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Mother and the Last-Minute Request: A Fable
Today I took a phone call from an irate mother who was desperately looking for a book (Titanic: Coices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson). Why exactly was this mother so angry? It was hard to tell through the copious yelling, but it sounded like her son had waited until the last minute to tell her that he needed a book for school.
That was an interesting phone call. As I'm looking in the catalog to be sure that the book is currently on the shelf and not checked out to a child who prepared for his assignment in advance, all I can hear are phrases like "This is so inconsiderate of you," and "You need to tell me about these things ahead of time, not when I'm trying to get ready for work." There is very little in the world sadder than listening to a parent berate their child like this in public. While the kid probably did deserve a good talking too, I truly wish that his mother had waited until after she was finished with the phone call.
Thank goodness we had the book in stock. I hate to think of what would have happened if we hadn't been able to provide them with the book they needed. I can only imagine the yelling that news would have spawned.
The moral of this story: Do not scold your child harshly where strangers can year you. It makes you look like the villain, not you child.
The second moral: When on the phone with someone, please move the phone away from your mouth when attempting to have a side conversation with a third party. Better yet, wait until the phone call is completed to speak to anyone else. Failure to do so only leads to awkwardness.
That was an interesting phone call. As I'm looking in the catalog to be sure that the book is currently on the shelf and not checked out to a child who prepared for his assignment in advance, all I can hear are phrases like "This is so inconsiderate of you," and "You need to tell me about these things ahead of time, not when I'm trying to get ready for work." There is very little in the world sadder than listening to a parent berate their child like this in public. While the kid probably did deserve a good talking too, I truly wish that his mother had waited until after she was finished with the phone call.
Thank goodness we had the book in stock. I hate to think of what would have happened if we hadn't been able to provide them with the book they needed. I can only imagine the yelling that news would have spawned.
The moral of this story: Do not scold your child harshly where strangers can year you. It makes you look like the villain, not you child.
The second moral: When on the phone with someone, please move the phone away from your mouth when attempting to have a side conversation with a third party. Better yet, wait until the phone call is completed to speak to anyone else. Failure to do so only leads to awkwardness.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Star Wars Origami
This is what I did at work not too long ago:
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| Apologies for the awkward shadows. |
Star Wars origami! From left to right: Yoda, R2-D2, and Darth Vader.
I've been a bit busy lately planning a program in honor of the second annual Star Wars Reads Day, which will be taking place on Saturday, October 5. This is a national event with programs taking place across the country. If you are interested in finding a Star Wars Reads Day program near you, be sure to ask around at our local libraries, bookstores, and convention centers.
The program that I am planning for my library will feature some Star Wars crafts like the origami pictured above, a scavenger hunt, some trivia, and of course a big book display and plenty of space to read. Watch this space for more info about the program after October 5!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Books to Be Excited About
A few weeks ago I found myself in a reading rut. Nothing on the library's shelves excited me, and there was nothing new coming in that begged for me to take it home.
Fortunately, a recent shipment of new books and the arrival of a few holds has changed these circumstances. I've gone from having nothing to read to being a tad overwhelmed by the good books. Here are a few of the books I'm excited to try:
The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet by Tom Angleberger
In case you haven't heard, I'm a huge Origami Yoda fan. I'm very excited about this fourth volume to the series, and I'm curious to see how the kids as McQuarrie Middle School handle the return of Dwight to their class, along with the school's newly-imposed curriculum designed to raise their test scores. Can Origami Yoda save the day again?
William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doeschter
It's Star Wars written in iambic pentameter, told in the style of one of Shakespeare's plays. It's two of my favorite things rolled into one. What's not to like? I'm not exactly expecting brilliance out of this pastiche, but I am expecting to be entertained (and probably laugh lots and read especially clever/amusing passages out loud).
Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt
I don't often read books written for an adult audience. Much of this has to do with that fact that I work with children and teenagers, so I get really caught up in the books that are written for them. But every so often a book for adults will catch my eye. I'm curious to see what this author has to say about D&D - its history, its cultural significance, and the nerd subculture it has spawned. (For the curious: Yes, I have played Dungeons & Dragons. Yes, I enjoyed it. No, I'm not a complete loser.)
The Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer
Several months ago it was announced that Farmer would be publishing a sequel to her multiple award-winning novel The House of the Scorpion, and I've been eagerly waiting on the edge of my seat for the book to be released. That day is finally here! It's been ten years since The House of the Scorpion was first published, but it remains one of my favorite books of all time and one that I regularly try to recommend to middle-school readers. Sequels tend to make me anxious, but I'm still excited to see what Farmer has in store for Matt and his newly-inherited opium empire.
Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
I was pretty much awed by Jasper Fforde's last fantasy novel, The Last Dragonslayer. I was so happy that Jennifer Strange would be returning for a sequel. If you're a fantasy fan, and if you've enjoyed books by Neil Gaiman and/or Terry Pratchet, then I think that Jasper Fforde should be the next author you try.
Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Elizabeth Kiem
In this teen novel, clairvoyance meets 1980s Soviet immigrants. Intriguing, n'est-ce pas? I love a combination of plot elements that you don't see every day. Also, I'm kind of a fan of the cover art.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
First of all, the author's name is Rainbow. Love it. Second, this book sounds really good: A girl tries to survive her first year of college after her best friend outgrows their shared love of a celebrity. Thirdly, this book has gotten awesome reviews. I probably should be reading another book by this same author that's gotten some early award buzz (Eleanor & Park), but this book just sounds a bit more fun.
Fortunately, a recent shipment of new books and the arrival of a few holds has changed these circumstances. I've gone from having nothing to read to being a tad overwhelmed by the good books. Here are a few of the books I'm excited to try:
In case you haven't heard, I'm a huge Origami Yoda fan. I'm very excited about this fourth volume to the series, and I'm curious to see how the kids as McQuarrie Middle School handle the return of Dwight to their class, along with the school's newly-imposed curriculum designed to raise their test scores. Can Origami Yoda save the day again?
William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doeschter
It's Star Wars written in iambic pentameter, told in the style of one of Shakespeare's plays. It's two of my favorite things rolled into one. What's not to like? I'm not exactly expecting brilliance out of this pastiche, but I am expecting to be entertained (and probably laugh lots and read especially clever/amusing passages out loud).
Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt
I don't often read books written for an adult audience. Much of this has to do with that fact that I work with children and teenagers, so I get really caught up in the books that are written for them. But every so often a book for adults will catch my eye. I'm curious to see what this author has to say about D&D - its history, its cultural significance, and the nerd subculture it has spawned. (For the curious: Yes, I have played Dungeons & Dragons. Yes, I enjoyed it. No, I'm not a complete loser.)
The Lord of Opium by Nancy FarmerSeveral months ago it was announced that Farmer would be publishing a sequel to her multiple award-winning novel The House of the Scorpion, and I've been eagerly waiting on the edge of my seat for the book to be released. That day is finally here! It's been ten years since The House of the Scorpion was first published, but it remains one of my favorite books of all time and one that I regularly try to recommend to middle-school readers. Sequels tend to make me anxious, but I'm still excited to see what Farmer has in store for Matt and his newly-inherited opium empire.
Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
I was pretty much awed by Jasper Fforde's last fantasy novel, The Last Dragonslayer. I was so happy that Jennifer Strange would be returning for a sequel. If you're a fantasy fan, and if you've enjoyed books by Neil Gaiman and/or Terry Pratchet, then I think that Jasper Fforde should be the next author you try.
In this teen novel, clairvoyance meets 1980s Soviet immigrants. Intriguing, n'est-ce pas? I love a combination of plot elements that you don't see every day. Also, I'm kind of a fan of the cover art.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
First of all, the author's name is Rainbow. Love it. Second, this book sounds really good: A girl tries to survive her first year of college after her best friend outgrows their shared love of a celebrity. Thirdly, this book has gotten awesome reviews. I probably should be reading another book by this same author that's gotten some early award buzz (Eleanor & Park), but this book just sounds a bit more fun.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Three Movie Trailers
I think today is a good day to watch some good movie trailers.
First, a trailer for the recently-released movie "City of Bones," based on the book by Cassandra Clare:
Next, a trailer for "The Book Thief," based on the award-winning novel by Marcus Zusak. This movie will be released in November 2013:
Finally, the newly-released trailer for the upcoming movie "Divergent," based on the book by Veronica Roth. This movie should appear in theaters in March of 2014:
I'm often hesitant about seeing movies based off of books that I enjoyed, but I'm actually pretty enthused about these book-to-movie adaptations. Anyone else looking forward to these?
Next, a trailer for "The Book Thief," based on the award-winning novel by Marcus Zusak. This movie will be released in November 2013:
Finally, the newly-released trailer for the upcoming movie "Divergent," based on the book by Veronica Roth. This movie should appear in theaters in March of 2014:
I'm often hesitant about seeing movies based off of books that I enjoyed, but I'm actually pretty enthused about these book-to-movie adaptations. Anyone else looking forward to these?
Monday, August 12, 2013
Bo at Ballard Creek
Kirkpatrick Hill's charming novel, Bo at Ballard Creek, reminds me quite a bit of Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Little House in the Big Woods. Each chapter of the book recounts a different episode in Bo's life and provides exquisite detail about what everyday living in this specific time and place was like. The story is very engaging, the characters are lovable, and Bo herself is a spirited counterpart to Laura Ingalls. As a reader I found myself especially fascinated by Bo's papas and their unique co-parenting situation. Such partnerships may seem unusual to modern readers, but it really does make perfect sense given the time and the place.
Overall Grade: A+
If you'd like to learn more about this book check out an interview with Kirkpatrick Hill, the author of Bo at Ballard Creek. Hill herself grew up in Alaska in the company of mining, just like Bo does. In the interview, Hill describes how some of her own experiences were included in the story.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Teen Summer Program Success
The 2013 Summer Library Program is wrapping up here. Summer is always our busiest time of year, and this year it felt like especially crazy. I've been pulling some statistics together for my Teen SLP (which I am completely responsible for) and the numbers don't like: It really was a lot busier than last year. A lot busier. Here are a few of the more interesting numbers:
Total registration in the Teen SLP increased by about 24%.
Total reading done by teens increased by about 16%.
Here's the real kicker: Total attendance at teen programs increased by a whopping 210%! This number increases to 431% if you include all of the passive programming that I put together for this summer (none of which existed last year.
No wonder I'm exhausted! Being around that many teenagers will do that.
There are a couple of things that point to the increase in participation this summer. The first is that, since I'm not longer the new kid in town at this library, more of the teens in the area know who I am. Some of the teens who know me especially well (who came to other programs during the school year, etc.) have started bringing their friends to the library and getting them to sign up for summer reading. Peer pressure and word of mouth does wonders.
I also like to think that the increase in program attendance has something to do with the fact that I put together some awesome teen events this summer. Enjoy a few pictures from some of these programs:
Total registration in the Teen SLP increased by about 24%.
Total reading done by teens increased by about 16%.
Here's the real kicker: Total attendance at teen programs increased by a whopping 210%! This number increases to 431% if you include all of the passive programming that I put together for this summer (none of which existed last year.
No wonder I'm exhausted! Being around that many teenagers will do that.
There are a couple of things that point to the increase in participation this summer. The first is that, since I'm not longer the new kid in town at this library, more of the teens in the area know who I am. Some of the teens who know me especially well (who came to other programs during the school year, etc.) have started bringing their friends to the library and getting them to sign up for summer reading. Peer pressure and word of mouth does wonders.
I also like to think that the increase in program attendance has something to do with the fact that I put together some awesome teen events this summer. Enjoy a few pictures from some of these programs:
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| Last year's popular Ninja Training program returned with a new and improved format... And a new and improved outdoor obstacle course! |
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| My most well-attended program of the summer was DIY Henna Body Art. I ordered and mixed the henna, and the teens had the change to design their own temporary tattoos. |
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| We did some geocaching at the library... |
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| And found some neat prizes! |
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| We also held a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament. We had 20 teens participating in this modified single- elimination tournament. |
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| The winner of the tournament won this awesome trophy that I crafted from a block of wood, an Iron Man piggy bank, and some gold spray paint. |
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| To finish off the summer we had an after-hours zombie party at the library. Most of the teens came in costume, and so did I. I came dressed as one of the zombies from the hit game Plants vs. Zombies. All of teens understood the reference. None of my adult co-workers did. |
Friday, August 2, 2013
LEGO Librarians
Have you seen the official LEGO librarian minifigure?
It's pretty much exactly what you expect: Female, glasses, cardigan, book in hand, and of course a cup labeled "Shhh." But believe it or not, this is not actually what most librarians are like! This stereotype has been around for decades, and sometimes it seems that no one except for the librarians themselves quite realizes that the profession is filled with a lot of different types of characters.
Joe Hardenbrook, a librarian at UW-Green Bay here in Wisconsin, saw this official minifigure and decided it just wasn't enough. He created and photographed lots of other librarian personalities and then shared his creations, along with some snarky commentary, on his blog. It's spectacular, and it seems pretty much spot-on. I'm pretty sure that I've encountered most, if not all, of these sorts of librarians at some point. Enjoy!
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| Image taken from the LEGO website, link above. |
It's pretty much exactly what you expect: Female, glasses, cardigan, book in hand, and of course a cup labeled "Shhh." But believe it or not, this is not actually what most librarians are like! This stereotype has been around for decades, and sometimes it seems that no one except for the librarians themselves quite realizes that the profession is filled with a lot of different types of characters.
Joe Hardenbrook, a librarian at UW-Green Bay here in Wisconsin, saw this official minifigure and decided it just wasn't enough. He created and photographed lots of other librarian personalities and then shared his creations, along with some snarky commentary, on his blog. It's spectacular, and it seems pretty much spot-on. I'm pretty sure that I've encountered most, if not all, of these sorts of librarians at some point. Enjoy!
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