Why I Love Being a Children's Librarian

Besides getting to see all the new materials and read them first in my favorite reading chair at home so I know what to recommend to kids....

Besides connecting kids to information resources and answering their questions....

Besides running into a parent who I had in storytime when they were kids who tell me how much I meant to them and their love of libraries and books (and meeting their kids!)...

Besides working with colleagues in my library, the state, the blogosphere, and across the country who so generously share ideas and energy...

Besides loving to talk to kids and tease them and bring a smile out....

Besides connecting to other youth serving organizations in the community to do even better work for kids...

Well, besides all of the above, I love my work because I think nothing is better than connecting kids, books and libraries together in one big happy mish-mash.

Why do you love children's library work?

Image: 'I Love to Read'  www.flickr.com/photos/90819592@N00/775089650

Wowser!

The news hit today that I have been selected as this year's Wisconsin Library Association Librarian of the Year!!!  This is such an amazing  - and such an unexpected  - honor.  The confidence that the nominators and colleagues who supported the nomination showed in me really touches me deeply.  And I am humbled.

I think I am not unique in trying every day to do a good job at the library for my public and my co-workers.  As a front-line librarian and most recently manager, I have spent alot of time at the knees of my colleagues and friends in the library world soaking in their thoughts and opinions; their ideas and energy.  I have learned from the families who have come in, from the kids and from the many partners in the community who have helped me see what a library for kids can be. Each day I learn something new that can make my work better.

After a thirty-four year career, I am happy to share and support younger colleagues and those new to the profession to step out and up and shine, shine, shine. So many of my mentors did this for me as a young thing and opened the world of librarianship in a deep and fundamental way that changed me from having a job to having a career.  And I know I am not unique in giving this type of support. So many of my friends and colleagues in my age cohort are doing this and much more for proteges.

I don't think I am very different for any other librarian who works with kids.  And I hope, on behalf of all the hard working children's and teen librarians out there, I can accept this honor for them as well.  Youth folks rock!!

Image: 'Erin [118/365]'   http://www.flickr.com/photos/62359756@N00/1096159720

Putting the Summer Library Program to Bed

Ahhhhh, my favorite day of the children's librarian year- the day after the last day of SLP.  Our nifty new database produced our stats in two minutes flat:

• over 10,200 hours read (we challenged kids to read at least 8,670 hours - a year of 24/7 reading - and they far exceeded that goal 
• 958 kids in the in-house program with 55% active during the course of the eight week program
• 452 kids in the outreach group care reading program
• 350 kids earned a free book by reading at least 20 hours over the summer

We had a very rainy and, therefore, very busy summer.  Our programs (all 113 of them!) here and at our branch locations were creative, fun and well-received.  We had enthusiastic teen volunteers; we sent staffers off on vacation throughout and, though busy, we came out sane (I think) at the end!

We'll do a report to our co-workers everywhere in the library; to the board and most importantly back to our principals and LMC colleagues.  Our plans for 2011 are already perking along and with a little design work after de-briefing on this summer, we'll be ready to head out for our trip around the world next summer. Wake uuuuuppppp!

Image: 'Asleep at the Wheel'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/34653106@N00/64368770

You CAN Do It!

There is an interesting set of posts up: one from Emily Lloyd at Shelf Check about how a library as institutional hierarchy can stand in the way of creative workers and an adjunct post by David Lee King (who is mentioned in Emily's post as an example of someone whose library lets him shine) about how to create a space and place to be creative.

Both posts give ample food for thought.  Having worked in small, flexible and nimble libraries during my entire career - where yes is heard more than no - I haven't faced the challenges folks have in larger institutions, where hierarchies and rigidity are constant concerns.  When I went for a week in a staff exchange to our state's largest library I ran smack up against those layers. "Wow!" I thought.  While I appreciated the level of staff support (in our small library we pretty much did a little of everything) at the larger library, I also liked how quickly we could hatch and do creative projects at our place.

On the other hand, no matter how big or small the institution, creating your own path to success is possible by working to create buy-in for your ideas by keeping co-workers, supervisors and decision-makers well informed and in the loop. David Lee King speaks eloquently to that point. As a manager he has alot of flexibility for his own work and for people he works with.  But he always makes sure that people are in the loop and know where he is going.  His success builds in a better chance of permission as he goes along.

You can start small.  Build trust in that you will do what you set out to do - without drama; with good communication; with honest evaluation and with an eye on making the case that the idea or project that you are working on enhances the overall goals of the institution. Show your competance and rewards will follow!

Be prepared to explain, demonstrate and patiently grow your project.  Each time you show success and get the buy-in of managers, other departments and co-workers, you are just that much more likely to have an easier time with your next idea.

Most important, if you are in a rigid organization that gives workers few creative outlets, think about how long you really want to stay there.  There are many libraries, directors and managers that encourage the best of their folks.  Think about a change - my friends and colleagues who have done so have been much happier in finding places to work that encourage and nurture their creativity.

If leaving isn't an option, get involved in the larger library world: your state and national library associations; the Library Society of the World; social networks full of clever library types.  Nurture your inner einstein there and share your goods!  My Galaxy Quest mantra:  Never give up!  Never surrender! 

Image: '093 - Death in a Hierarchy'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/27888428@N00/4737579655

Box Town

The following is an idea and article from my amazing colleague Lucy Freeman. As outreach librarian and early childhood specialist, she makes me and all her colleagues look soooo good.  Below is one of  her delightful ideas that has developed a life of its own. It is inexpensive and easy to replicate anywhere where young children come to libraries.  Here's Lucy:
 
While I love doing story time and think it provides many valuable experiences, skills and knowledge, I also feel that children don’t get enough free play time. Remembering many fun hours playing with boxes when I was a child, I wanted to re-create that experience for the toddlers in my story time group.

Since I also host a monthly training program for child care providers, I decided to involve them also. A local appliance store provided refrigerator boxes for free. They also provided other sized boxes and some interesting packing materials that the child care providers used in very creative ways. Glue guns, gorilla glue, cloth scraps, wood and plastic spools, plenty of knives and scissors and yarn were used to fashion the boxes into wonderful playthings.

The child care providers had a great time using their creativity but also thinking just what their center and their children would like and use. One group grabbed a large hunk of bright yellow felt and used it to cover a long box. With the addition of wheels, steering wheel and fold-out stop sign a simple box became a darling school bus. Fancy shaped wooden dowels inspired another group to make a castle, complete with marker drawn vines on the walls.

The participants, about 30 people from 11 different centers, worked for almost two hours on their creations. They wrote their name or center, along with the address, on their box. This was so I could deliver them to the appropriate center once I was done using them with my toddler story groups.

I arranged the boxes into several “stations” adding appropriate props to go with them for play. One corner was the kitchen with a stove, refrigerator and table and chairs, all made from boxes. A few pots and pans, plates and glasses, hot pad, cookie sheet and spoons made for some great imaginative play opportunities.

Another corner was the bedroom with a cradle, book shelf and toy box made out of boxes. A few books, stuffed animals and dolls and this spot was a hit with the tots also.

The school bus, along with an RV, was put in the center of the room for the children to climb into and pretend to drive. A wonderful hot dog stand with a window to make orders at and outside seating to eat your meal just needed a few plastic baskets, napkins, glasses and play money to make for lots of interaction between the children.

One huge box turned into a castle with vines curling on its “stone” walls and purple fabric draping its doorway. The children dragged my story time unicorn into the castle and imagined themselves princes and princesses.

Probably the most popular box was simply a house with plastic flowers to water outside, windows to peek out and blankets inside to cuddle in. At one point the children gathered every stuffed animal I had placed around the room and put them all to bed in the house, carefully tucked in under the blanket.

I also put out a display of books emphasizing imaginative play, hoping that the parents would read them and be further inspired to welcome free play into their children’s lives. One mother spent a lot of time reading, not only to her own child, but to several other children. A list of the books is shown below.

Three toddler story groups had a chance to play at “Box Town” along with another group at a neighborhood center. Then the boxes were loaded on our library van and delivered to the various child care centers that made them to be used by their children.

We have so many events for children where everything is structured and there is little chance for individual imaginative play or creativity. Even in story time, I sometimes regret the special little moments that I have to pass by because of the needs of the larger group that I am responsible for. Sometimes those little questing minds have to be quieted so that the story line continues for the larger group. But in free play, those curious minds are liberated to ask questions, transform boxes into cars, and start to imagine their futures.

It was wonderful watching the children play with such simply made and cheap props. While they were mostly two year olds and didn’t really know each other, they played with very little supervision or direction. Their imaginations created countless scenarios as they made dinner and served it to their dad, or drove children to school in the bus or charged $15 for a hot dog and gave back $100 in change! Watching the imaginative and peaceful play, many parents planned on going home and making their own version of “Box Town.”

I recently visited one of the day care centers that participated in the program. They are still using the boxes they made back in March but have added some new ones. One classroom just had the children paint apple boxes and then they called them boats and sailed around the linoleum floor. In another classroom with smaller children, the teachers made a darling boat complete with a sail. The children were sitting inside waving their Fourth of July flags and rowing with the paddles, sticks with cardboard paddles taped on the end!

Book List
Six Sticks by Molly Coxe
A Box Can Be Many Things by Dana Meachen Rau
The Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
The Saucepan Game by Jan Ormerod
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
The Can by Rita Golden Gelman
What Good is a Tree? by Larry Brimner
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

Proof!!!

SUMMER READING PROGRAMS HELP KIDS MAINTAIN THEIR READING SKILLS OVER THE SUMMER!!!

Oh, sorry about that.  I just had to shout.  What we in the children's library work world have known since we started our careers has now been studied and reported out by the widely anticipated Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap. This three year study, administered by Dominican University GSLIS, was an evidence-based investigation into the impact of summer reading programs on student acheivment funded by IMLS; conducted by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Summer Learning and partnered with the Colorado State Library and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

And the results are in. You can read the whole study at the link above. But let me skip to some of the execuive summary results:

• Students who participated in the public library summer reading program scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those students who did not participate and they gained in other ways as well.
• While students who reported that they did not participate in the public library summer reading program also improved reading scores, they did not reach the reading level of the students who did participate.
• Students who participated in the public library summer reading program had better reading skills at the end of third grade and scored higher on the standards test than the students who did not participate. 
• Students who participated in the public library summer reading program included more females, more Caucasians, and were at a higher socioeconomic level than the group of students who did not participate.
• Families of students who participated in the public library summer reading program had more books in their homes than those families of students not participating.
• Students enrolled in the public library summer reading program reported that they like to read books, like to go to the library, and picked their own books to read.
• Parents of children enrolled in the public library summer reading program reported that their children spent more time reading over the summer and read more books, were well prepared for school in the fall, and read more confidently.
• Parents of children enrolled in the public library summer reading program reported that they would enroll their children in a summer reading program at the library again, made more visits to the public library with their children, and read more books to/with their children over the summer.
• Teachers observed that students who participated in the public library summer reading program returned to school ready to learn, improved their reading achievement and skills, increased their enjoyment of reading, were more motivated to read, were more confident in participating in classroom reading activities, read beyond what was required in their free time, and perceived reading to be important.
• School librarians observed that students who participated in the public library summer reading program returned to school ready to learn, improved their reading achievement and skills, increased their enjoyment of reading, were more motivated to read, were more confident in their reading abilities, read beyond what was required in their free time, and perceived reading to be important.
• Public librarians observed/perceived that students who participated in the public library summer reading program returned to school ready to learn, improved their reading achievement and skills, increased their enjoyment of reading, were more motivated to read, were more confident in their reading abilities, read beyond what was required in their free time, perceived reading to be important, were enthusiastic about reading and self-selecting books, and increased their fluency and comprehension.

The study's final recommendations:

1. Recognizing that public libraries play a significant role in helping to close the achievement gap in school performance.

2. Promoting the powerful role that public libraries play in the education community in helping children maintain and gain reading skills.

3. Engaging families in public library programs to promote early childhood literacy.

4. Investing more money in summer reading programs—especially in public libraries that serve children and families in economically depressed areas.

5. Marketing to parents of school-age children so they understand the importance of their children participating in summer reading programs and other out-of-school library activities.

Kudos to my peeps Susan Roman and Carole Fiore and to Deb Carran who authored this great report. It is just what we out on the front-lines need!

Image: 'Start Your Summer Reading Early'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/47823583@N03/4664379890

Are Libraries the Next "Big" Thing?

Over at NPR's Monkey See blog, Linda Holmes has a tongue-in-cheek speculative piece on whether libraries are on the verge of a ubiquitous surge of love and approbation.  You got me.  But we sure have been in the news in good and bad ways over the past couple of months.

The bad ways are are in the teeth-grinding, sweat-inducing budget horrors going on around the country ("Oh, yeah, we'll close ya down every Monday"; "Money for the library?  Nah, better we give it as a loan to a for-profit professional sports team to keep 'em in town"; "We don't need so many stinkin' branches").  They are in the stupidity of a local Fox affiliate "reporting" that no ones uses the library and it costs money.

The good ways - in advocacy organizations like Geek the Library, I Love Libraries, Save Libraries. And in the stream of amazing and very funny videos that have absolutely gone viral on libraries (I don't think I have to link you to the Old Spice guy or the New Spice guy which have been everywhere in the blogosphere in the last week) like Librarians Do Gaga and more. Humor is always good!

Good and bad news puts libraries front and center in the public's perception.  And it forces people to think about whether a shared, public, community resource (whether school, public or academic library) is worth keeping in times of real struggle.

I hope we are the next pop-culture phenom.  Libraries are there for all.  And we need to keep it that way!

Image: 'picture'   http://www.flickr.com/photos/58428285@N00/3122529077

Saying Yes

Abby the Librarian has a wonderful post about the importance of giving library users a positive experience when they use the library.  Saying yes is soooo much more fun than saying no.

Sometimes it is just finding a way of saying things that accentuates the positive rather than the negative. For instance:

New Library Card Check-out Limit on Materials
Negative: We know you are going to steal us blind so we only want to lose these 3 items.
Positive: Just for this first check-out, while we process your info, we ask you to just check out three items.

Parents Insisting Kids Attend Program They Are Too Young For
Negative: We have strict age limits and no one is allowed in unless they meet our age requirements
Positive: Kids need reading skills for this particular event.  We also have this and this event perfect for your younger child. And if you want to drop by and observe, come on in! If your child gets bored or fussy though, you can take a break out in the hallway.

Too Loud in the Area
Negative:  Be quuuuuiiiiiieeettt!!!!!!!!!!!!
Positive: I'm going to ask you to quiet down a bit - I can't hear the questions. And that's what I do best- find answers.

What other ways can negative be spun into positive gold?

Image: 'it's in your hands' http://www.flickr.com/photos/40892749@N03/4657652249

ALA Edition - Monday!

How the deuce did we hit Monday already?!?! Egads!

Saturday
After the boost of that amazing Friday pre-conference, I hit the ground running with my ALSC "process" work as a member of the ALSC board. First up was our ALSC division leadership meeting. We focused on mentoring and looked at the ALA Connect's mentoring module. It's pretty slick and a great way to mentor or be mentored. Then off to our ALSC board meeting for the rest of the afternoon.

We discussed a number of issues that alternated between housekeeping and exciting new ideas.  Of particular interest to me is an opening discussion of the possibility of creating a designated board position especially for newer members of ALSC to create leadership opportunities for younger members.  I feel strongly that we ask our emerging young leaders to wait too long to before they can gain a place at the policy making table of ALSC.  It is difficult when they are on a nominating slate to overcome the name recognition of members who have long served the organization.  I have seen a few members serve more than one term on the board and I ask myslef if it is really true that our 4,000 member strong division, with 700 active committee members really doesn't have enough qualified leaders to run for board that we  ask some people to serve more than once on the board level.  It will be interesting to see if only a few people are interested in this change or if there is broader support in an idea like this that would require a bylaw change approved by the wider membership.

Sunday
The is All-Committee Meeting day. We board members try to visit and touch base with as many ALSC committees that are meeting simultaneously as possible. We listen, share news, advise and thank our hard working committee members.  From there, I had luncheon with Scholastic and was treated to some delightful readings by authors of their new works.   They all sounded great and I look forward to reading the books and sharing them with staffers and eventually with children as prizes at our programs. There was time to visit the exhibits for an hour or so, check out the new children's books coming for fall, pick up a few advanced reader's copies. Then a stop at the Book Cart Drill Team Championships for wacky cray fun as Jon Sciescka and MoWillems emcee the hilarity. The winners this year -  decked out as skeletons - did a LOL Dance Macabre that simply had to be seen to be believed. Then back to the apartment to get ready for the Newbery Caldecott banquet.

The banquet is always a highlight.  This year I just attended the speeches which is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the evening. After dinner with friends, I nestled into a great seat in the peanut gallery and got ready for the festivities. I was so pleased to share the celebration with Jerry Pinkney as he received the Caldecott Award and loved Rebecca Stead's speech as Newbery winner.  After the speeches, I got to whisk Newbery honoree Grace Lin off to the receiving line where hundreds of well-wishers congratulated the winners and honorees.  Standing between Jackie Kelly's editor Laura Godwin and Grace made the evening fly by. It was tremendous seeing and hearing people giving props to these wonderful book creators!

Monday
Time to mail off the books and advanced readers copies to the library; catch the tail end of the ALSC President's program and enjoy the second round of awards for the Siebert; Batchelder; Geisel and professional awards. The highlights for me were the introduction of Claudette Colvin who accompanied Phillip Hoose as he accepted a Siebert honor for the book Claudette Colvin and Tanya Lee Stone accepting the Siebert award for Almost Astronauts.

Then the ALSC membership meeting; a quick lunch with a colleague; one last run through the exhibits to check out final book sales; one more stop at the post office; a quick bite to eat; a metro ride to the National Building Museum with 20 minutes to hit their bookstore before closing; a Metro ride back to catch Battledecks (TOO funny!); and a last stop at the ALSC Poetry Blast to listen to two poets share their work.

And now zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Tomorrow is another big day!

GREAT ALSC Pre-Conference!

What an amazing day!  200 people attended the ALSC preconference Drawn to Delight: How Picture Books Work and Play Today.  Participants were treated to outstanding panels and presentations by children's book illustrators, editors and designers including :

• Caldecott award winner Brian Selznick talking about learning to really see when looking at art and life around us;
• Eric Carle Museum's Megan Lambert who discussed some great strategies for enhancing picture books in storytime (more on that in another post!);
• Caldecott Medalist David Small, Patricia Gauch, Neal Porter, Caldecott honoree Laura Vaccaro Seegar, Tad Hills and Lee Wade talking about the relationships of editors and illustrators to the work of book creation;
• Break-out sessions on digital art; whole book approach to reading; international approach to picture books; a visit with Rosemary Wells and a petting zoo for paint that encouraged participants to play with acrylics, gouache; pastels; watercolor and charcoal to test each medium for themselves; 
• Break-out sessions with ten illustrators demonstrating their art techniques (Yuyi Morales; Tad Hills; Kadir Nelson; Brian Selznick; WIlliam Low; Melissa Sweet; Timothy Basil Ering; Laura Vaccaro Seeger; Javaka Steptoe and Dr. Pamela Harris Lawton);
• an eloquent wrap-up by this year's Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney discussing the flow of text and story in his Lion and Mouse 

I don't think I'm alone is saying that I learned a ton today.  While it is always wonderful to see the rock stars of the children's book world, it is even more amazing when they stretch themselves to share insights; philosophy and the reasons behind how they they do what they do. Our dear late Kate McClelland  created the initial vision for what would have been her presidential year's preconference and the able committee she appointed (Wendy Lukeheart, Nell Coburn, Sharon Hancock, Kathy Isaacs and Luann Toth) brought the vision forth. A big thank you to Thom Barthelmuss, ALSC President, for stepping up to the plate to lead the division after Kate's untimely death and for his support of this great day.

When people ask what does ALA or ALSC do for anyone, it is days like today - beyond the hard work and advocacy on behalf of libraries, beyond the partnerships forged with organizations around the country; beyond the wonderful CE and leadership opportunities for colleagues - that show the very best of what ALSC can do!

Image: 'Reading Time'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/12692384@N00/255230682

At ALA

I'm here in mega-steamy Washington DC, sitting happily in a great little apartment 3 blocks from the convention center. One of my roommates and I got ourselves settled in; the third had a horrendously delayed flight and instead of arriving at 4pm is now likely to appear, ghost-like, after midnight. Travel is always an adventure these days.

Still and all, the fridge is stocked from nearby stores with water, fruits, cheeses and veggies; the A/C is nice and we think we are more oriented to get where we need to be.  I am looking forward to tomorrow's ALSC preconference: Drawn to Delight. And ahead stretches days of conferencing with my library peeps.

I want to share a post from Bobbi over at Librarian By Day on getting the most from conferences. She shares great tips and each and every one is worth doing.  From the practical to the philosophical, these gathered hints will make all your conferences a ton better.  Now let the fun begin!


Image: 'And I Thought Yesterday Was Hot!'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/17731548@N00/2569878338

ALA Bound

I have almost all my pre-conference prep done:

• Mapped Metro routes from airport and around town - check
• Figured out my route to the ALSC Pre-conference Friday morning (can hardly wait - Picture Book Art learning!) - check
• Determined which 2 programs I can attend outside of ALSC board duties - check
• Read and studied all my ALSC board docs - check
• Arranged for a last night crash since my hotel runs out earlier than my conference commitments -check
• Figured out the 3 minutes I can devote to the entire exhibit floor - check
• Re-read my Grace Lin books so I can help out at the New/Cal post-banquet receiving line - check
• Purchased scads of nuts and mini-chip bags to get me through long stretches w/o food at conference -check
• Am entirely revved up to see friends and colleagues again after a long six months away - check

See you there!

Lights! Camera! Children's Literature!

Oooooh- ahhhhh a trailer for an upcoming feature-length documentary on children's literature, Library of the Early Mind. It looks verrrry interesting!




Thanks to Betsy over at Fuse 8 for the heads up!

Pertinently Pert?

Eva over at Eva's Book Addiction kindly conferred a Pertinent Posts Award on me and my tiny blog!  It's a first ever award and I'm glad it's for being pert...inent!  Thanks for the shout-out Eva.

According to the rules:

• Thank who gave you the award and link to them;
• State what is is you look for in a blog;
• Give the award to 7 people whose blogs pertain most to you.

now I get to recognize seven of my peers! 

This is a tough choice to winnow down all my faves so, let me share just a few. I love looking for blog content that makes me think about libraries, working with kids there and ideas for programs and storytimes that keep me fresh.  So here are my favorite go-to blogs:

Come into Delight - Georgia always has a unique view of kid's library work and great ideas.
Keeping Up with Kids - a brand new blog of a neighboring Wisconsin Library system has great tips and info
100 Scope Notes - playful, tasty info tidbits and links from Travis on children's literature make this a go-to spot for me
Hi Miss Julie - a blog that is new to me but full of thoughtful insights plus fun from a perspective of a children's librarian
Imaginary Librarian - great teen programming tips complete with pictures and instructions
Almost Librarian - I j'adore Valerie's booklists - they are hands down some of the best choices for books within a theme - but i also appreciate her insights.

One more, one more, one more...ok, I HAVE to choose the next one - I must have a laugh each and every day and when things are most dire, Cake Wrecks (with sassy commentary on cakes gone wrong) always fill the bill! What could be more pertinently impertinent?

Welcoming Summer Groups

There was a question on the pubyac listserv in the last week asking librarians how they deal with large groups of children in care situations who come to the library during the summer. This is often a tough seasonal situation for libraries who struggle with increased family usage; administering a summer library program and handling increased crowds at programs in too-small meeting rooms.  It's tough because so many of us want to serve kids no matter what but physical limitations in our buildings and staffing make it a challenge when a large group of kids come in.

We have tried a couple of things that have helped us over the years serve both individuals and groups: 

Group Summer Reading Program
We offer daycares; summer school groups and other organizations who work with groups of kids this option. This has eliminated long lines of kids waiting to pick up prizes when the whole group comes in and gives us more time to help the kids find materials and more time for kids to find quiet times to read.

This do-it-yourself-at-the-Center program is contained in a simple folder. The folder contains a large poster with spaces beneath the headings "Read"; "Write" and "Do a Creative Project; 200-300 tiny stickers; a sign-up poster for participating children's names and an instruction sheet.  We ask that each time a child in the group does one of the three activities, the child puts a sticker on the poster.  We also provide a prize for each child that the group leader can give out whenever they decide they are at the culminating point or end of their program. We reassure kids that if they also are in our individual program with their families, they can indeed do both programs (prizes are different in each).

Program Attendance Registration/Special Programs for Groups
When we have had certain care groups come to programs and had to turn away people because our room was at capacity, we have approached solutions in two ways.  We have sent notes out in May asking care groups to pre-register for programs and letting them know that we can only accomodate a limited number of groups per program.  This helped tremendously and we were able to shift groups among programs to balance out the numbers over the summer.

We also have created special group events just for our care groups that offered fabulous programs and could accomodate many groups. This worked out very well. And we are always willing to stop by a center and do a special program once during the summer if we can.

Scheduling Visits
We ask groups interested in weekly visits to let us know when they want to come in order to help us provide great service.  Although we don't always get advance notice, we work with the leader who comes in unexpectedly to explain how we can help them more with adequate staff and resources when we know when they are coming. The next summer, we usually get advance notice and can make sure we have good staffing.

Communication with Leaders
Probably most important in all of this, though, has been honest communication with the group leaders and teachers who use our services during the summer.  We work with these folks to talk about what we can do for them; how they can help us; behavior guidelines and our expectation of their supervision of the kids; how we can assist them to create quiet reading times or provide extra materials for their classroom or center; the importance of scheduling visits so they can get maximum staff interactions; and ways to make their visits win-win for kids, library staff and care giving staff. 

If we run into a prickly leader, we continue the communication into the school year and make sure we meet with their supervisor before the next summer to discuss mutual expectations and limitations.  This has made all the difference in our success. We each walk in each other's shoes; we learn their challenges and they learn ours and we achieve (mostly) successful outcomes.

These strategies have helped us create a welcoming atmosphere for kids and providers.  It is their library too and we want kids that may never come in with parents in the summer to know that we are just as glad to see them in this situation!

Image: 'Crowds'   http://www.flickr.com/photos/59468038@N00/240903973