Tasting India with Teens

This summer we decorated the teen area to represent Bollywood. The colors are wonderful and they love the gold fringed chandelier. This week we had a Taste of India event and it was a blast!

Cynthia and I took a road trip to the World Market in Minneapolis for inspiration and unusual purchases. I found rice flour at   and colored with vibrant food coloring in the hope that we could do a Rangoli painting outside. It was just too windy the day of the program, so we used paper with the design outline and tissue paper. Cynthia is a fan of plastic tablecloths for crafting and decorating. The colors do not fade and they can be used over and over. She taught everyone how to make pom pom flowers using bright colored.....plastic tablecloths!

Since decorating is so much fun, we turned the story time room into a restaurant.

We have some small tables that are easy to set up and don't take up much space (always an issue for us). Cynthia has several of the battery lit candles that were added to tables for atmosphere. The food was Indian food from Trader Joe's that only required a couple of minutes in the microwave. Each dish was served individually,the name and history of the food was read, then tasted. Everyone actually tried each dish offered and found favorites they never imagined they would like.

The party ended outdoors with a water balloon toss. Partners tried to keep the balloons from breaking as long as possible and counted the number of times they threw it back and forth.

They all enjoyed the party and asked to do it again with other countries. It really makes my heart skip a beat to see teens so happy and having fun at the library. We are in desperate need of a new library that has more teen friendly space, so we try to do all we can to make things special for them.

 Feels good when we get it right.

No More Teachers, No More Books???

Last summer, one of the libraries in our system was moving to a new building. It created a real problem for trying to hold their usual summer programs. The teachers in their community decided to take turns doing a weekly storytime for all ages at the library. Children enjoyed seeing their teachers and meeting those who would be their teacher for the upcoming school year. The teachers had a great time talking books with the kids and browsing the collection with them. What a terrific idea!

I shared this idea with one of the teachers in my community and he jumped right on the bandwagon. He organized teachers to come every Thursday all summer. He even publicized the event! Yesterday was the first storytime and it was well attended and lots of fun.

What a wonderful partnership for schools and libraries!

LOVIN' SUMMER READING PROGRAMS

Okay, I admit there often SEEMS to be much ado about the summer reading programs at our libraries. Workshops, catalogs, prizes, and buzz. Themes, illustrations, PSA spots, etc., seem to overwhelm us. It is important to summon enthusiasm for promoting our libraries and the treasures they house. All year. Summer just happens to SEEM like an exception because it has different hoopla involved.

Most libraries have programs running all year, that include storytimes, after school events, book groups, dogs to read to, and humans dressed up like book characters, to name a few. It just so happens that summer has a different feel and a theme all it's own. I love workshops and crave them all year, like many/most of you. I am always hungry for the fresh ideas, enthusiasm, motivation, and information from peers. I am not sure that summer reading overshadows the rest of the year for me though.......it's just different and it is a welcome change of routine. While the teachers take some much needed time off from kids, librarians ramp up for the kid onslaught.

 The prize trinkets never seem all that important to the kids I work with, and I bet you might find the same at your library. Sure they can be fun. I like a squirty camera as much as the next kid! But the opportunity to interact with children during the SRP is different than during the school year. They are relaxed and do not have any AR points pressuring them, or book reports due the next day. No homework or teachers to keep them tethered to home and school. Extra budget money is spent wisely during SRP because more children can attend the events. They actually have some free time.

I believe our mission can be marketing the wonderful products we have to eager kids. So what if it holds the added incentive of a camera that squirts? The toy will be lost or thrown away by the end of summer, but the words that were read will last a lifetime.

SU-PRIZE!!!!!

This summer we loaded up Cynthia's car with bags of prizes we gleaned from our prize closet. Marge Loch-Wouters at http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com/ gave us this idea a few years ago at a workshop. When kids sign up for the summer reading program we gave then a poster to hang in their window (what if you can't see my window from the street?Hang it on your mailbox in a ziplock bag. What if I live waaaaaaaaay out in the country? We just might be taking a drive and see your house.) Then we mapped out the city (and surrounding areas) and set out to look for posters in windows. When we spotted a poster Cynthia would hop out of the car, run up to the door with a prize bag she would hang on the doorknob, then she would ring the doorbell (what if I don't  HAVE a doorbell---then we knock), and then runs back to the car (er...Su-Prize mobile), and we make a speedy getaway. SU-PRIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I felt like a bit of a creeper lurking around neighborhoods, driving slowly, looking at kids and waving, so we rigged up some posters on the car. It feels less creepy that way and provides some SLP publicity,too.

Imagine A Castle/S'More Free Teen Programming

I have been waiting for this day since I planned the program. So many happy hours were spent playing in the sand when I was growing up and I suspect that is true of many kids. It is a delight to watch teens have creative freedom and some time to just relax and have fun. Teens, sand, sun , s'mores, 3D chalk, on a sunny summer afternoon, was the order of the day.

Cynthia and I used the remainder of the glue in the small bottles from last years programs to create everlasting sand castle mixture. Yes, we actually got paid for watching glue drip out of bottles into a big container....ahhh life in the Children's Room. We used the cups leftover from the Iron Chef program and filled them with sand and glue. The teens added some water and stirred with craft sticks, then placed the sand mixture on paper plates (also left over from Iron Chef program), and proceeded to model a castle. We were fortunate enough to have a beautiful day and it was delightful to watch the teens create some sand castles.

After working up an appetite making castles in the sand, everyone tried out the 3D chalk, and then munched some s'mores that were made from...........that's right...........leftovers from the Iron Chef program!

Chocolate, chalk, sand, sunshine, and a summer afternoon. Life just doesn't get much better.

Just One More Sticky Situation

Just when my head was spinning with the onset of the summer splash I found out my fall/early winter program schedule is due. Things are really full speed at our library right now. I have had all I can do to keep up with the day care groups, families, and misc. kids at our library, not to mention extra desk time because other staff are on vacation (isn't taking a summer vacation if you work in a library against the law or something?). So, in the midst of all of the summer hubbub, I am wracking my brain to reinvent the wheel yet again........one or two Babygarten times---early,mid morning,what is best? Toddler Time for sure, but should we do a 4&5 story time or all ages---morning, afternoon,both? How many programs are maybe just too much for me to take on, spreading myself too thin, and not presenting a quality program because I am too wiped out? What can I come up with that is cutting edge, amazingly inventive, something totally new? Adult,teen,family, character parties, book release parties, lock ins,storytimes,early out programs.................yowsa!

It occurred to me that the teens had an absolutely wonderful time at the duct tape program we held on Tuesday. Now, all of you who work with teens know this is not an original idea---been there, done that, made the wallet. The fact is, they still love to have the freedom ( and the wide variety of free duct tape) to create, explore, and experiment. They were happy and laughing, playing, working side by side.

I have to remind myself, on a fairly regular basis, that I need to allow myself that same kind of creative freedom. No pressure, just a chance to create,experiment, and explore. Every program I plan does not have to be original, it does not have to be cutting edge, it does not have to wear me to a frazzle, and it can certainly be something I have done before. Kids just want to have fun in a relaxed atmosphere where the librarian who planned the program, is happy and laughing, playing, and working side by side with them.

I think Red Green would agree.

You Otter Make a Splash

Today was our summer kickoff program and it was a zoo out there---literally and figuratively! Fantasy Corral came with 20 different, and amazing, animals including...wait for it....an otter! Her name is Blossom and she really does make a splash in her pool swimming clockwise around and around. The red object is her firefighters helmet.

Squeaky Shoes came with her mother and sister. She is doing well and just adored the animals. Her mother even purchased a bunny to take home.Her sister aptly named it "Hope", right there on the spot. Four year olds can be remarkably introspective.

It was so much fun to reunite with all of the families after a storytime hiatus. It is very sweet when the school children come up and ask if I remember them from my school visit. I always give them an emphatic, " YES,of course I do, and I am SO glad you came!"

Summer is off to a splashing start and I am looking forward to all of the summer reading fun. Check back in a few weeks to see if I still feel that way!

Jellyfish Dreams

Last night, when I could not sleep, I decided to make some jellyfish. Is it just me, or do they actually seem to be floating through the water? Maybe I am just dreaming.

That'll Be One SLP to Go

Suitcase
Originally uploaded by Lasse C

A few days ago I saw a young father, looking very dejected and confused, wandering in the juvenile fiction section of our library. I asked if he needed help and he explained he wanted an AR book for his son. The young father had no idea about AR books, what they are, or how to find them. Yes, the teacher had given him a paper about AR books at some point, no, he had no idea where the paper was, and he could not remember anything about the testing or how to choose books.

Turns out the young father was divorced and was sharing custody with another parent. He seemed sincerely interested in learning how to help his son with reading but had no idea where to begin. He looked much more confident and relaxed after we searched the AR site our area schools use and perused our collection for the books his son might enjoy.

Before he left, the young father expressed his concern over the loss of reading skills over the summer months. I was excited to step up to the opportunity to let him in on the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G summer library program to support that very concern! Alas, the son was going to be with his mother over the summer. Dad did not seem to think there was a chance in you-know-where that the boy's mother would be taking him to any libraries over the summer.

This May I am going to put together some SLP's to go. My hope is that this humble offering will allow a young father the chance to offer his son the gift of books and the incentive to enjoy learning to read them, even in his absence.

How Many Librarians Does It Take To Make A Splash ?

Yesterday was our systemwide Summer Library Program Workshop. One of the fun and interesting activities was to make a wave and a splash with a trifle bowl full of water. Wet your fingers, and then press on the rim of the bowl as you circle around the rim until you see vibrations, and then---SPLASH!

We also made waterpark "machines" using people. One person chose a movement and did it continuously, and then one by one others "hooked on" with their own movement idea.

There was an activity that incorporated creative dramatics, symbolism, painting, and drawing. Some of the results were beautiful.

Now it's time to start planning for summer in earnest. I have an amazingly creative and energetic new assistant named Cynthia. I just can't wait to brainstorm and create some wonderful new ways to make our library a welcoming and exciting place.

P.S. Isn't this umbrella jellyfish just the coolest thing ever?