Having toys and play at the library is certainly a timely topic: the revised Every Child Ready to Read includes play as one of the five practices to promote early literacy. ALSC sponsored a program at ALA on this topic entitled “You Want Me to Circ WHAT?! or How to Best Utilize Toys as a Literacy Tool in Programs and as a Fun Part of Your Lending Collection.” Toys are a great, child-approved way to integrate play into the library, and this session had quite a few ideas for making that happen:
- No space is too small for incorporating toys into the library. Whether you have a room, a playhouse, a closet, a table, or just a bit of space under some shelves, you can add toys successfully. Wall panels work really well, too.
- Adding toys is not a “go big or go home” scenario: a small selection of toys is just as beneficial as a huge variety. A child engages with one toy at a time, so a few puzzles are just as satisfying to a child as a roomful of different items.
- Need to justify spending some of your budget on toys? Offer programs that highlight play and give plenty of opportunities for kids to play with the library’s toys. Start off with a short book and a song, then spend the rest of the program letting kids and caregivers go to play stations. Ideas for stations include playdoh, blocks, letters, etc., all with brief instructions for grown-ups to encourage interacting with the toys.
- Adapt activities for older children, too; they also benefit cognitively from play, and making play a family affair does more to ensure the practice will continue outside of the library.
I was so energized by this session that as soon as I returned from Anaheim I ordered magnetic drawing boards to have out in my children’s area. More play initiatives are in the works.
How do you bring toys and play into the library?
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I am the Children’s Librarian at the Corporate Parkway Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library District in Missouri. I am active in ALSC, and I blog as the Show Me Librarian at http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/.
Have you seen all the amazing photos and articles about the Discovery Center in Queens, NY? It’s a library that is all science, all the time. Amazing! The folks from the Queens Children’s Library Discovery Center gave a program at ALA emphasizing that no matter what your space and budgetary constraints, you can mix science into your library. A few ideas from the well-attended session:
- Connect hands-on science stations or science activity sheets in the branch with the Dewey stacks. For example, next to a butterfly activity, have a sign leading to the 595s. Similarly, have a sign by the butterfly books suggesting children do the activity.
- Focus on doing science with children, as opposed to instructing them. It’s not school! Be hands-on.
- Reinforce skills associated with science: observation, measuring, estimation, etc. Activity examples include having kids track the development of a growing plant over the summer or having them estimate the number of books on a display.
- Get teens to help–children are excited by young people who enthusiastically share science with them.
- Need ideas for programs? Look to educational standards for age-appropriate topics and the internet for hands-on activities.
My library has an airplane science program coming up later this summer, and in the meantime I intend to think of informal ways to add science activities in the branch. Right now I’m thinking of science signage in the nonfiction stacks and take-home science activities (instead of just take-home crafts).
What are some of your successes and/or ideas for science at the library?
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I am the Children’s Librarian at the Corporate Parkway Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library District in Missouri. I am active in ALSC, and I blog as the Show Me Librarian at http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/.
Boys read. As librarians, we know that’s a fact. Research does indicate, however, that boys typically don’t read as much or as well as girls their same age, and as a result they can fall behind. Some great male writers, beloved by all readers, gave their perspectives on why getting more boys reading is necessary and how we might accomplish that goal:
Funny Business, the first volume of stories in the “Guys Read” series edited by Jon Scieszka.
- Jon Scieszka: Start by asking boys what they want to read. Listen to what they say, and note what are your heavily circulating titles. These should be your go-to titles, regardless of what the library literature has to say.
- Michael Grant: Escapism has value in encouraging reading. Is the book one the reader is willing to spend time with?
- Andrew Smith: There are a few dirty words when it comes to encouraging reading: “appropriate,” which casts judgment; and “for,” which excludes potential readers (e.g., books FOR boys, books FOR teens).
- Daniel Handler: Speaking of dirty words, teen boys in particular like their books to have violent and dirty bits. These parts reflect their own thoughts and conversations with friends. To the young male reader, these parts are just one contributing factor to the overall enjoyment of the book, but censorship-happy adults view even short instances of language and sex as rendering the whole book objectionable.
Some boys don’t read, but there are plenty of clandestine male readers, too. The prevalence of readers who hide their enjoyment of reading suggests there’s something fundamentally wrong with our reading culture–why do boys want to keep their reading secret? The answer to this question could shed light on the whole issue of boys and reading.
How do you engage young male readers at your library?
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I am the Children’s Librarian at the Corporate Parkway Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library District in Missouri. I am active in ALSC, and I blog as the Show Me Librarian at http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/.
I’m the only YA librarian at my library, and despite the things I do to stay in touch with my colleagues locally and nationally, it can sometimes be very lonely work somtimes! If you’re in the same boat (or if you just love the chance to be with your people), add YALSA’s Speed Networking for YA Librarians to your Annual schedule.
The speed networking event is a fun, simple way to connect with others who work with teens in libraries. It’s inspired by the speed dating model of getting to know someone: everyone will be divided into small groups and seated at tables. Every few minutes, groups will swap tables, giving you a chance to get to know a lot of your fellow teen-serving librarians in a more personal way in short period of time.
You’ll talk about great ideas, swap stories of successes and failures, and have the opportunity to meet people from across the country who are at all different points in their careers and professional involvement. Conversations will be informal and fun. Bring your expertise and your curiosity!
This session will be held on Sunday, June 24th at 1:30 in the Pacific A room of the Hilton Anaheim hotel. I hope I’ll see you there!
