Is This REALLY in My Job Description?

Today was just like any other day at the library working in the Children's Department. The day began with baby storytime, lovely babies, cute mom's and dad's, giggles and songs.

Then it was on to the store to purchase what we need for tomorrow nights event. We are hosting a Poetry Cafe and want to create a cafe ambiance. We decided to purchase small tables to cover with checked tablecloths and thought we could purchase the tables at store number one...nooooooooo.We thought we could purchase the tables at store number two....nuh uh. Store number three,four, five...no luck. Okay, we can drive to Stillwater while checking iPhone apps and calling stores to see who might carry said tables. Bingo! We found a store, asked them to hold all the small tables, (they had 5) and told them we would be right there. Cynthia, my assistant, pulls her truck up to the store. I leap out of the car, which was still running btw, dive and roll into the store, purchase tables, and we are back on the road to New Richmond, just in time for.......

THE REPTILE PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm...is this REALLY in my job description?

Ta Da!

Now..........................................we have to get the tables out of the boxes, set them up (do we have a screwdriver?), and carry them over to the room we are using for the cafe.

Add some pretend candles, that Cynthia (famous for her spectacular parties) brought, and voila----cafe.

Back across the street to the library in time to pay the reptile guy, pause for a picture of a flowering crab on the way,put the tables and chairs back in the Children's Room, write an article, edit the SLP brochure, and there you have it-----------just another day.Whew! After reading this, I think I really am tired. I'm going home now, so I can rest up for whatever tomorrow brings........never a dull moment.

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.

Jellyfish

Politely Stepping Back

In this world of iPads, iPods, cell phones, and Wii, Kindles and Playaways, schnitzel and noodles, brown paper packages tied up with string.....well...it was fascinating to simplify things for an hour.

We held an American Girl party to celebrate Addy, who was depicted as living during the Civil War era.

                          The children who attended were absolutely amazed by shadow puppetry.

              Lemonade came with some effort put forth squeezing real lemons, using some juicers that were not powered by electricity.

The concept of cloth napkins was introduced, and we talked about why they are necessary now, for different reasons, than in Addy's time.

Games as simple as keeping a feather afloat were as exciting as Mario Cart.

What a delight it was to turn back time...............just for an hour.

Now, please excuse me,I have to Tweet.

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.