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Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 10:52:00 -0400 (EDT)
To: pubyac-digest@nysernet.org
Subject: pubyac V1 #369
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:28:17 -0400
From: brazell@InfoAve.Net
Subject: Re: Toddler and preschool storytimes
Hello Jan,
We do our toddler story times right before our preschool
times, so there is a greater chance of a child attending both. However, it
is more convenient for the parent as children of differing ages can come on
the same day and attend a program that is more appropriate for them. We
have the same them, but different books and activities for each. For the
most part the natural interests and boredom of the children causes them to
gravitate toward their level of story time, and very few want to sit
through two consecutive story times. Another benefit is that often the
parents come in and stay with the toddlers, but go out with them during
pre-school time and allow the older sibling to attend story time alone,
making them less inhibited, and more likely to join in the songs and other
interaction.
I'm curious to see what other experiences are.
Sincerely,
Robert Brazell
Kershaw Co. Library
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:59:05 -0500
From: "Mary J. Soucie" <mjsoucie@htls.lib.il.us>
Subject: Re: SR ponderings
Jan and Pubyackers,
Last year the library I was at switched to a contract and/or game as a way of
keeping track of reading. Minimum for the contract was 5 books. We had readers
go all the way to 100. For the game, readers rolled a die and moved around the
board based on tehir roll and the number and types of books read. We assigned
points for each type of book and then the reader chose how many points they
wanted. The harder the book, the higher the number of points. This seemed to
work very well. Hope it answers your question. If not, feel free to e-mail me
at: mjsoucie@htls.lib.il.us.
Mary J. Konieczka
Youth Services Consultant
Heritage Trail Library System
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 19:42:41 -0400 (EDT)
From: BARBARA WHITE <bw0002@epfl2.epflbalto.org>
Subject: public/school lib.joint-use sites
Recently, the Board of County Commissioners for Frederick County, Maryland
has requested that committees be formed by the public library and the school
board to discuss the issue of public libraries in schools. I will be serving
on the public library team and would appreciate any information or experience
my learned and diverse colleagues could provide on the topic of shared sites
between public and school libraries. I have conducted a literature search
but found that most dealt with shared resources through technology. Our
first meeting is Thursday, July 9, '98 at 2:30 p.m. and I apologize for the
short notice. Any info. will be helpful. Please send what you know even if
it get posted after the July 9th mtg. -- I suspect there will be additional
meetings/discussions. Thank you in advance for your views. Please send
to me directly at: bw0002@mail.pratt.lib.md.us My apologies for
grammatical or typo-type errors. Barbara White, Frederick Co. Pub. Libraries
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:18:15 -0500
From: "Mary J. Soucie" <mjsoucie@htls.lib.il.us>
Subject: Re: Formal Training for Chil. Librarians
Andy and all,
There have been several posts about interships, grad school, etc. I will soon
(Aug.22) be a graduate of Dominican University (formerly Rosary College) in
River
Forest Illinois. I had an excellent course in "Programming for Children and
YA's". It was an awesome course and the teacher, Mr. Michael Leonard, was
one of
the best teachers I've ever had! I went the route of school libraries, so the
majority of my classes were "YS focused", in terms of schools. I know
several of
my friends who weren't necessarily going for schools who took many of the same
courses I did. I was already working as a Youth Services Libraraian when I
started
grad school, so that probably affected my experience becasue I feel prepareed,
other than the subject of budgeting.
Andy, in answer to your question, I think the name of the school should be
mentioned becasue hopefully that would be a way to correct these
"wrongdoings and
slighting" (my words) of Youth Services and Young Adult LIbrarians.
Mary J. Konieczka
Youth Services Consultant
Heritage Trail Library System
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 12:35:01 -0500
From: Carol Hoke <hoke@crpl.cedar-rapids.lib.ia.us>
Subject: Re: Toddler and preschool storytimes
We do storytimes and toddler times here each week. We also do not have
registration and often have cross over in ages, but try to hit on material
suitable for 4-5 year olds for storytime and 2-3 year olds for toddler
time. Since the same person does all of the 8 sessions for a week, they
have material available shift if they see the age group seems to be younger
or older than expected. Some material is suitable for both ages. The kids
here seem to like magnet board stories or something visual to go with the
stories.
The toddler time is 20 minutes long compared to 30 minutes for storytime.
Whatever you do, you still have to be flexible. Having more material than
you need is helpful. And being able to judge your audience is also an
asset.
We do use general themes each week. I think that it helps a person to get
organized, but I hope my staff knows that if they find a really neat book
which doesn't fit into the theme that they can use it.
Carol Hoke
Children's Services Manager
Cedar Rapids Public Library
500 1st St. SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Hoke@crpl.cedar-rapids.lib.ia.us
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 14:52:46 -0600 (MDT)
From: Lori Wagner <lwagner@gold.sdln.net>
Subject: re: anecdotes and a question
I am Lori Wagner from the Mitchell Public Library in Mitchell, SD. I am
new to pubyac, and have been reading, and reading and trying to catch up.
I am the Children's Librarian, and have also gone through several changes
in Summer Reading formats to try to accommodate everyone. I believe there
in no "cheat-proof program" and I leave much of that responsibility up
to
the parents.
The plan that has worked best for me for the past few years has
been to have the kids read at least 15 minutes a day for 25 days. They
can read as much as they want, but only count 15 minutes. Of course, the
usual question is, "If I read an hour can I count that as 4 days?" We
don't let them do that. The premise being to encourage the Habit of
reading. Those who usually read a lot, will read more anyway, those who
hate to read are not daunted by the 15 minutes.
Lori lwagner@gold.sdln.net
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:19:04 -0600 (CST)
From: lochwouters@axp.winnefox.org
Subject: Re: SR ponderings
On your question on having a "one-size-fits-all" SR program:
We ask all kids (preschool through grade 5) to read or be read to 15
minutes a day. On any day they read, they just mark off a little box or
shape on their SR card. Each SR card has 10 boxes and the kids can come
in and get a little prize when they finish (bookbag; semi-pro team game
ticket; book; pencil; etc). We basically let kids and parents know that
the kids can read as much or as little as they choose during the summer -
although the more they read, the more little prizes they pick up along
the way (yeah, yeah, we're a "bribe" library 8-> ) & of course,
from our
perspective, the better for maintaining their reading skills (our *real*
secret agenda).
Kids can also keep track of any extra reading they do during the summer.
This year ALL their hours of reading go towards adopting a whale (yes,
this is an idea we picked up from one of the pubyakkers) - for every 1000
hours they read, the Friends of the Library adopt a whale. Four whales
adopted so far but we are speeding up to a whale adopted every 4 days.
The Friends are very surprised and pleased (and, I might add,
generous!!) The kids have *really* been motivated to do their reading
with a goal like adopting a whale in the picture. It has been rewarding
to watch!
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marge Loch-Wouters | Email: lochwouters@winnefox.org
Menasha's Public Library lochwout@athenet.net
Elisha D. Smith Public Library | Phone: (920)751-5165
Menasha, WI 54952-3191 | Fax: (920)751-5159
_________________________________________________________________________
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 14:33:31 -0600
From: Cindy Christin <christin@mtlib.org>
Subject: Re: SR ponderings
Jan: We're having great success with a program we just started this year.
We've made a small calendar in the reading logs, and kids check off (or
color) each day that they read at least 20 minutes. Preschoolers can count
being read to, of course. After 9 days (you could choose any amount) they
come into the Library to pick a small prize (plastic bugs, tattoos, free
ice cream, bookmarks, etc.). For the serious readers (ones who are filling
in most days) we're offering paperback books that we've collected these
past months. I have picture, junior and YA books. Everyone seems pretty
happy with this. Let me know if you want more details.
Cindy Christin
Children's Librarian
Bozeman Public Library
220 E. Lamme
Bozeman, MT 59715
406-582-2400
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 16:06:14 -0400
From: "Peggy Hagen" <phagen@mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us>
Subject: Re: SR ponderings
We do our summer program with time - we have each child sign a
"contract"
to read a certain number of minutes a day (number to be determined by the
child). Then they keep track day by day on a calendar of some kind that we
design for the theme. This way kids can read whatever they want, for as
long as they want, and the result is reinforcement of the habit of daily
reading rather than reading for a specific goal. Surprisingly, lots of
kids choose 60 minutes a day, the most common is 15 or 20.
Peggy Hagen
- ----------
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:31:57 -0700
From: Jean Hewlett <nbclsref@sonic.net>
Subject: Stumper: Babies don't keep
I apologise for posting this to the entire list, but I've lost the
address of the person who asked for it. Since no thank-you message has
been posted, I assume she is still looking.
According to the website where I found this
http://het.brown.edu/people/kjp/stuff/aplinks.htm
the poem that ends "I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep"
is by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton and first appeared in Ladies Home Journal,
October, 1958. Elsewhere, I have heard that the correct title is "Song
for a Fifth Daughter." The poem's text follows:
Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
she's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo)
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek a boo)
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my roo
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo)
Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
but children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep
Jean Hewlett
North Bay Cooperative Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
All opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of my employers.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 11:57:50 -0600 (MDT)
From: Lori Wagner <lwagner@gold.sdln.net>
Subject: Re: "snow in July" program
I've had "snowless snowball" fights with polyester fiberfill
used to stuff animals etc. A real hit. L. Wagner
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:12:22 -0400
From: brazell@InfoAve.Net
Subject: Re: request for dragon activities
Hi Tracey,
When we did a dragon story time this past Spring, we made
dragons with the following materials: 1) drawn dragon heads (sort of
Chinese style), an original design photocopied on green card stock 2)
popsicle sticks
3) roly-poly eyes, like you find sewn onto stuffed animals, obtained from
the sewing section of a department store 4) crepe paper streamers of
varying colors. The children simpy cut the heads out, pasted on the eyes
and taped the streamers and sticks on the back of the heads. They really
enjoyed waving the dragons around so that the streamers trailed behind like
a Chinese New Year dragon. I hope this is helpful.
Cordially,
Robert Brazell
Kershaw Co. Library
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 09:51:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Walter Minkel <walterm@nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us>
Subject: ALA Web Reference with Young People site
Folks-- Two colleagues and I (Roxanne Hsu "fairrosa" Feldman and
Elizabeth
Overmyer) presented a program on Web reference with young people at the
ALA conference in DC. We made up a small site with portions of our
presentation, and wanted to offer it to anyone who might be interested and
wasn't able to be there (or was there and didn't get a handout--we had a
lot more people show up than we'd planned for). The URL is
http://www.multnomah.lib.or.us/~walterm/webref.html
10-Q, W
Walter Minkel, School Corps Technology Trainer
Multnomah County Library, 205 NE Russell St., Portland, OR 97212
Voice (503)736-6002; fax (503)248-5441; walterm@nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us
==============
("Rats...") "Oh, Web pupil, _refer_! Lip up! Be who? Star!"
--Palindrome
of the Month
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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 16:46:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: VASILIK@palsplus.org
Subject: RE: SR ponderings
Jan Wall sent a message about summer reading -- fairness versus challenge--
pages, time or book titles. This year for the first time, thanks to a
suggestion from another pubyacer, we are counting days. To get credit for
the day, the child must read at least 15 minutes (although I tell parents
of young children that if they read a book or two a night, not to worry
about the time-- the 15 minutes was set as a limit to stop the kids who
might say "I read the sign coming in the door"!). The prizes are based
on
the number of days they read. This has also helped eliminate the kids
who in the past read "baby" books to get all the small prizes in one
day!
It's not my idea, but I can't remember who originally posted it
on pubyac late last winter -- but I really love it. It's causing some
confusion, but not much, and I think that's because some families were
so used to counting books. I never liked counting minutes because I never
wanted to encourage clock watching while reading. This way, as long as
the family thinks the child read for at least 15 minutes (or so) they are
given "credit" for the day. Fast readers, slow readers, readers of
short
books or long books -- it doesn't matter. And to make it even better, maybe
it will help to establish a "reading habit" since they are reading
some
each day.
I'll let you know at the end of the summer how successful we were --
but in just one week, we've had over 200 kids join -- so I think it will be
just fine.
Pat Vasilik
Clifton Public Library
Clifton, NJ
vasilik@palsplus.org
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Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 16:52:12 EDT
From: "Rebecca Friedmann" <rfriedmann@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: SR ponderings
Jan,
At our library, we have three different SRP's in progress. The
children's dept. provides SRP for kids entering Kindergarten through 6th
grade (we have storytime for the little ones). The YA librarian
provides SRP for grades 7-12 and the adult SRP is for ages 18+.
For our children's SRP, the children (and their parents, if necessary),
keep track of the amount of time a)they read to themselves, b)they read
out loud to someone else [parent, younger child, etc.], c)someone reads
to them [works well for the younger ones], or d)listens to a book on
tape or read-along. They keep track of their time on the reading log we
provide them. Each child can earn prizes at 15 hour intervals, and they
can also win prizes in our grand prize drawing at the end of the summer.
They get one ticket in the drawing for every hour read-- so the more
hours read the better chance they have to win. This time-keeping system
is based on the honor system, but it seems to work well to even the
playing field across age boundaries.
The YA and adult SRP's are based on the number of books read, but they
have weekly drawings for prizes-- so even one book read gets them
entered in the drawing.
We've got over 1,460 kids K-6 signed up in the last 4 weeks-- we're
doing something right :)
Rebecca Friedmann, MLS
Children's Librarian
Union Township Library
West Chester, OH 45069
rfriedmann@hotmail.com
rfriedmann@mail.mpl.lib.oh.us
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 14:42:21 -0700
From: torrie@ci.burlington.wa.us (Torrie Hodgson Children's Librarian)
Subject: Re: harassment by public
>that there are several ways to deal with unpleasant patrons:
I also need to add the smile and nod technique, which has stood me in good
stead for many years.
You smile pleasantly, do not raise your voice, and say "I completely
understand." "Sometimes it does seem unfair." "I know just
what you mean."
Be genuinely sympathetic. Remember the last time you had trouble at the
bank/grocery checkout line/etc.
Now this is the kicker, each one is followed by saying "I'm afraid I can't
do anything about it, I just don't have the authority." Offer a chance for
them to 1. speak to the director/head of whatever, 2. file a complaint form,
3. make a suggestion to the box, 4. attend a library board meeting, & etc.
Give them ownership of their library. Maybe a policy does need changing,
refining, or at least reviewing.
This works very well with people who need to vent about the 2-day checkout
of videos, fines of all types, the fact we aren't open until midnight,
haven't purchased the obscure and obscenely expensive text they want, don't
want to pay their membership dues, or anything else that is a facet of policy.
Many times just having a sympathetic ear to vent frustration is enough. I
can count the times it hasn't worked on the fingers of one hand---in the
last 10 years of working with the public in a variety of locations. (The
longest one of these exchanges went on was 20 minutes, which did indeed feel
like an eternity)
Hope it helps! (I haven't had a chance to try it much on rude teens
shouting personal abuse. *cross fingers*)
Torrie Hodgson 8)
Torrie Hodgson, Amazon librarian from the avocado jungle!
Burlington Public Library
900 East Fairhaven Ave
Burlington, WA 98233
Phone (360) 755-0760 Fax (360) 755-0717
torrie@ci.burlington.wa.us
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End of pubyac V1 #369
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