Worm Races - Those libraries following the 2013 CLSP theme of Dig into Reading will want to try these. At Rhinelander (WI) District Library, they've been wowing the kids for 30 years and they are willing to share the how-to's.
Child Development Day - when the school district runs this day to screen rpeschoolers, the library is invited and sets up a table with booklists, books, giveaways and library card applications. Returns of completed applications to the library tells staff that this is a great investment in time.
Magnetic letters and boards available throughout the children's area encourages wordplay and letter recognition
Read to Rover - therapy dogs arranged through Therapy Dogs International are a huge hit for child readers.
Raffle Ideas - one library has a quilting guild that donates a quilt to raffle off. Another idea is buying a kindle and raffling off chances to win it.
Deer Hunting Celebration - in communities up north where the annual deer harvest is a holiday and occasion, the library has blaze orange costume contests, coloring sheets , deer rack (antlers) contest for most unusual, smallest, biggest and so on. The library knows the community and the community responds!
2-Book Challenge Teen Program - for SLP, kids are asked to read and review two books and hand them in for a big drawing (a guitar; a nook) as well as receive a small prize (food coupon, etc). They can do up to four 2-Book challenges.
Teen Late Nights - the teens play games like scavenger hunt and more after hours. Very popular.
Ballot Box - one of the libraries sets up voting for favorite books during the lection season
SLP Teen Readers - teens read to the little kids at pajama nights. One special night the little kids were challenged to dress as a superhero and earn a chance to enter a prize raffle twice.
Future Business Leaders Club Teen Volunteers - are a huge help to one library. They ran a book drive for kids and were able to get a huge nember of books donated.
August Community Service - during August, one library always ties a community-wide community service project into the summer reading program. This year they helped spearhead a collection of supplies for kids who are in need when being removed from dysfunctional homes - pajamas; a stuffed toy, a blanket and a book - all in a pillowcase. They received over eighty sets of these needed items.
It's always a pleasure to travel and hear the great ideas from libraries working at libraries large and small. I learn somethings new every time!
Find more in the Idea Sparklers series: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
REALLY intrigued by the deer hunting idea. I am going to have to implement something like this. My community is hunting crazy and while it's not something I enjoy, I have been looking for ways to tap into that community interest and bring them to the library. SO EXCITED!!
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