Reading Importance

Another assignment due this week for class is to create a piece of media that give information on a subject we feel is important or that we are interested in. I chose the topic of reading importance because reading is important. It does so much for all of us, but especially children. I have witnessed this with my own children. By regularly reading to them and talking with them, they learn to speak well and early. My four year old son constantly asks how to spell words and desires to read. Take a look at my assignment below!

Instructional Handout Assignment

This week for a course we had to prepare an instructional handout and put it on the blog. This is my instructional handout, on making a PowerPoint. Enjoy!

Youth Services

Many public libraries have a variety of youth services (ages Newborn to 18 years old). These services range from baby and toddler story times to teen book clubs and gaming nights. Youth services are, in my opinion, very critical to a library system. These young people are tomorrow's leaders and by reaching them and sparking their reading interest at a young age, we set them up to love learning and books for their lifetime. 

These screenshots are from a library system (Polk County Library System: Lake Wales Public Library) that I came across while working on an assignment. The website was easy to use and the Youth Services page on the website was colorful and very attracting to young ones. 

I would also like to highlight a few other libraries that have youth program or pages that I found intriguing. These other libraries really help me form ideas for what I would like to see in a library that I may potentially be a librarian of one day. 

Palm Beach County Library System - This library has links to homework databases for kids, book recommendations, live homework help for teens, and much more in addition to the regular programs for kids and teens at public libraries.

Baldwin Public Library - This library youth page was interesting because they offer youth programs for school aged children in the late afternoons and evenings. 

Boynton Beach City Library - This library has interesting programs for the youth, which includes lego days. What child doesn't love legos?

Collier County Public Library - This library has a variety of many different types of programs.

Check these out and find out what is available at the public libraries near you! 

Childcare in Public Libraries

Short Term Childcare in Public Libraries

Many college students are also parents that use the public libraries for research and doing homework. I think a childcare center in the public library would be an awesome idea for these parents. There would of course be age restrictions, time limits, and proper security measures set up. Many students cannot afford full time childcare, especially when they only need their child(ren) watched long enough to type a paper or check out a book. 

What do you all think of this idea? Good or bad?

Do any of you know of any public libraries that offer this kind of service?

For the course Adult Service in Libraries in the MLIS program, we had to form a mock marketing plan for a program that we would put into practice in a public library. This is my mock plan:

Vikki Brown

LIS 6523 Online

Due: December 6, 2014

Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan

Summary: The public library wants to establish short term childcare targeted to parents in school/college that need short term childcare to research and/or complete assignments.

Information about the planning group: The team will include a library staff member, children’s librarian, a member of Department of Children and Families, and a retired preschool teacher.

Strengths:

Staff:

·         We have a credible and highly recommended retired preschool teacher to maintain, direct, and work the childcare area.

·         We have a children’s librarian currently on staff that will assist the retired preschool teacher in organizing entertainment and education for children.

Technology:

·         We have the most current computer technology for use in security (signing in and out children, keeping time records, photos of parents and children, allergy and emergency contact information, etc) and for use in childhood education (learning games and educational websites such as PBS Kids).

 

 

Products:

·         We have durable “sign in cards” that allow parents to swipe and automatically sign in and out their child(ren).

·         We have the most current and highest safety rated toys for children to learn and play.

·         All staff members that will work in the childcare area will receive regular training and certification and attend childcare workshops.

Weaknesses:

Staff:

·         The Department of Children and Families has a large workload and not always available for consulting.

Technology:

·         The program used to sign children in and out can be slow at times.

Products:

·         The cards are subject to users losing and/or misplacing them.

·         The toys are subject to be broken through rough and regular use.

·         The toys must be sanitized daily for the safety and wellness of children.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal: Offer a short term childcare center for parents continuing their education that will allow them to research and/or complete assignments to maintain high grades without worrying about the cost of childcare.

Objectives:

1.      Create a safe and fun childcare center complete with all the necessities for caring for children.

2.      Increase library usage by 30%.

3.      Target the parent students at businesses/places regularly visited by parents.

Marketing strategy and tactics:

Phase One: Build an addition onto the library to provide ample and safe room for childcare by obtaining proper permits, materials, and use of highly rated and credible building and/or contracting officials.

Phase Two: Promote new childcare service with the use of social media, print media, radio, and the library’s website. Print media will be posted at colleges, shopping stores/centers, hospitals, and pediatrician offices.

Action Plan:

One team member will be responsible for creating a timeline that will span over a one year time frame of implementing the childcare center. Another team member will be responsible for regular release of advertisements and marketing materials.

Evaluation:

Library staff and childcare center team members will complete regular surveys and share concerns/comments in monthly meetings about how the process of implementing the childcare center is going.

Budget:

Quarterly fundraisers will take place to assist in funding the childcare center. The childcare center team will work closely with the financial advisor and budget planner of the Board of County Commissioners and the library director. To help with the cost of providing the free childcare service, late child pick up fees will occur in increments of $10 for every 5 minutes past pick up time. If childcare is needed in excess of the allowable 45 minutes, a fee of $25 for every 30 minutes up to a maximum of a total of 2 hours will occur.

 

Public Library Fine Forgiveness?

Check out this library in Florida that allows kids and teens to "read down" their fines. While most patrons may not owe much in fines, this is still an awesome way to encourage more reading. -
Read Down Your Fines | Palm Beach County Library System


Here's an article on a different public library offering fine forgiveness. -
Reading Public Library in Pennsylvania.


The Palm Beach County program is only for kids and teens and available all year, but the program in Reading Public Library was offered in two different ways, one for adults and one for kids.

Check them out. Just another awesome service that some public libraries are offering and maybe more in the future will follow. These type of services serve dual purposes.

Does your public library offer any fine forgiveness programs?

Lights, Camera, Action

I am sure by now that everyone, or most everyone, is aware that you can borrow movies from public libraries. Most libraries stay up-to-date on the latest DVD releases and have a wide variety of DVDs to peruse. Did you also know that many libraries have movie nights?

This public library in Dixon, California is showing The Fault in Our Stars. The Fault in Our Stars movie is based from a book, which is an awesome way to get people interested in reading.

The Library of Congress even hosts movie screenings.

While researching the topic of movies in public libraries, I found an interesting post on LaFourche Parish Public Library's (a Louisiana library system) webpage. There is a list of movies coming out in 2015 that are based on books.

I think that movie nights are a great way to gain interest in the library and books, if the movie is based on a book. My idea for a movie night would be to have a theme based on the movie. For example, if The Help were the movie being show in the library, I would have snacks and drinks mentioned in the book. Near the snack table would be a display of the actual The Help book along with other fiction and nonfiction books relating to The Help. I think a children's movie night would be a great idea as well. Imagine lots of children coming to see The Polar Express dressed in their pajamas drinking hot cocoa and eating popcorn. I am sure the library would become a special place for them after that. I know my four year old boy would think that an awesome thing to do!

Does your pubic library host movie viewings?

It's Mario Time...

In either 2007 or 2008, the local public library that I worked for began offering video games from different game platforms available for patrons to borrow. We also had one or two game nights where students with the permission of parents would stay the whole night in the library. They had to of course stay the whole night (no leaving, but telling mom and dad you were at the library) and supervised by an array of library staff for the entire night. Video games stations were set up along with being able to read and use the computers for the time you were there. I remember it being a successful idea for the young high school students. (I am not quite sure if it is still done as I do not work there right now.)

As I began thinking of ideas for this blog, this memory of the game lock-ins came to my mind. Do any other public libraries offer video games for borrowing?

Some libraries that offer video games:

Cecil County Public Library

Heartland Library Cooperative

This link contains a list of more libraries that were found to be circulating games, as well.

Some interesting reads on the subject of video games in libraries:

CNN: Do video games belong in libraries?

At libraries across America, it's game on

Video games and libraries are a good mix, say librarians

Does your library offer games? If you're not sure, ask your librarian!