Reading Cave Crave

Last week I got a new office chair (my back thanks you!)

The next day, our office manager offered us the box it came in.

I found the good boxcutter. Intrepid Brooke found the brown butcher paper, scissors and a mile of tape and 45 minutes later...

I hope you note the nifty skylights, the comfy bean bag and the exclusive nature of our box...ahem Reading Cave. No sooner was it done, then kids hopped inside one by one for a relaxing read. 

Even better, that very afternoon, as part of our DIY "kids-decorate-the department" effort, our plain cave was transformed with cave paintings:

Now come on, do we work in a great profession or what?!?!



DIY Art is EZ

We have started a tradition at our library of holding some kind of kid-led DIY art or decoration program within the first week or two of the start of Summer Library Program.  We gather art materials and let the kids loose.

It may be our easiest, mellowest and most delightful program. And we never have to worry about pre-decorating the area to a theme. The kids take care of it with their creative touches.

This year, thanks to Crayola Window Markers, a crowd of kids created a garden of beauty on our windows. These few pictures hardly do justice to the work of the sixty kids who filled eight windows with their ideas. If you happen to be passing by in the next eight weeks though...

SLP Decoration Awesomeness

I have really enjoyed looking at some of the cool decoration ideas bloggers have been posting:  Katy Salo on the ALSC blog; over at Libraryland, astute purchases combined with staff creativity made the library awesome; Lester Public Library in Two Rivers WI really got a bang for their Star buck. And, of course, if you don't know Rachel Moani's blog, you must get her on your feed. She's a librarian/designer/artiste extraordinaire and I pick up a ton of ideas from her.

Kids are our main decorators. We usually hold an event at all three libraries during the second week of the SLP and let them create on our behalf - sometimes with sidewalk chalk; sometimes with window paint; sometimes with left-over craft materials.  We put out the stuff and the kids in true "D.I.Y. Make-over" go creative on us.

This year, we chose a space theme and gathered craft supply odds and ends and let the kids go.  An hour and a half later, we were cosmically decorated.  Here's pictures of some of what they did.  We love it!  And so do they!

Idea Sparklers #1 - Fun Ideas from the Field

I am just starting my presentations of 2012 Summer Reading /Innovative Programming Workshops around the state (and out of state too!). With thirteen library systems scheduled,  I expect to see lots of colleagues and hear amazing ideas.  As I go along, I will post "Idea Sparklers" and share a listing of the fun program/display ideas that librarians from libraries small and large shared together.

Although they aren't going to be fleshed out ideas, they will hopefully spark your creativity and get you thinking of new ways to engage kids at your library!

Our first stop is the Winnefox Library System in Wisconsin. Among the ideas shared:

• If You Build It, They Will Come – set up a table and let kids create things out of “junk” (recycled materials). Sometimes a theme is provided or a bag of materials for each child who participates to spark their imagination.

• If You Like Reading Wimpy Kid, Try These – put up a line drawing of the Wimpy Kid near a book cart or shelf and fill it up with “read-alikes”. Kids flock to the shelf and re-stocking the choices is constant

• 40 Book Reading Challenge – after talking to the school staff, library staff learned that reading forty books helps kids maintain their skills over summer break. So kids who take the challenge get a sheet to record books read with rewards at school in the fall for those who both participate and reach their goal.

• “No Girls Allowed” Boys Bash – we all know we can get a lot of girls at library Fancy Nancy and princess parties. This party features underwear flinging from Capt Underpants and other boy activities to give the guys a chance to shine.

• Legos K-3- Put out the Lego sets; read a book to the kids at the beginning and have the kids build a lego based on the theme in the book. Wild success.

• Stained Glass Windows – Using old transparencies, copy outline onto sheet. Outline in permanent marker (careful) and paint with fabric paint. Very popular with kids. With a donation of shiny paper, the kids also created shiny foil outlines to cut out.

• Adult Reading Program – used a “Cootie Bug” theme. As adults reported back they would get a paper “Cootie Bug” piece to build their Cootie on paper. Very popular. Led to a brief discussion of other nostalgia toy themes to use with adults like rubber ducks or Lincoln logs.

Read more in the Idea Sparkler series here:  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10  11


Image: '♥ Love Explosion ♥' http://www.flickr.com/photos/77047514@N00/3115855390