New Online CE Session Offered for Changing Up Your SLP!

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You asked, we developed and the demand is high.  My co-instructor Sue Abrahamson and I just started teaching our 4 week online course on "Creating the SLP of Your Dreams".

The course filled and we had a big wait list, so UW-Madison iSchool Continuing Ed Dept opened up a new session running March 11- April 7. If you are interested in considering ways to introduce change, cope with burn-out and be part of crowd-sourced ideas, problem-solving and solutions from peers from around the country, registration information is here.  Note: There is a 10% discount if registered by February 25. But don't delay, we are half-full already!

Creating the Summer Library/Learning Program of Your Dreams

[There is a 10% course discount if you sign up by Monday January 7]

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Have you been thinking about creating some changes to better meet the needs of your community during your annual summer vacation SLP's? If you've been dreaming or even just want to explore a bit of what's out there, we have a class for you!

Join veteran youth librarian Sue Abrahamson and me for a bracing 4-week online exploration of that most sacred of all cows in youth services - the annual summer library program. We'll look at how SLP's evolved, why we do we what we do; and ideas on how to introduce and sustain change, adaptations, new paradigms and fun into your summer work with the community.

Offered through the UW-Madison iSchool Department of Continuing Education, this asynchronous course (you pop in each week at a time most convenient for you) course offers short lectures, thought-provoking readings and resources, videos and a wonderful forum for you and your peers to share successes, tears, fears and thoughts. This crowd-sourced part of the course lets you share YOUR expertise and experience as well as gain valuable support for your ideas from peers.

Hope you can join us January 28-February 24. You can get all the details here!

Going to School On Summer Learning/Library Programs

Are you feeling a sense of ennui or dread about your upcoming summer library program?  Are you ready to blast the top off it and re-imagine it as a fun, meaningful feast of discovery, adventure and literacy/learning support for kids?

Join my fab colleague Sue Abrahamson, children's librarian and long-time SLP change agent and me as we teach a 4 week continuing ed course: Creating the SLP of Your Dreams, January 28-Feb 24. We'll look at why we do summer programs, myths and reality of effective programs and look at tips and ways to create programs that fit your community and support kids ongoing learning.

From resources to crowd-sourced wisdom and experience shared by participants, we'll look at approaching SLPs with new ideas and energy. Hope you can join us (10% discount if registered by January 7!).

And don't forget to check out the other amazing youth centered CE that the UW-Mdison iSchool CE Dept is offering after the first of the year!

Make Mine Music SLP Workshop Links 2/23/18

This project was funded in part with a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which administers the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Division for Libraries & Technology

It was great to join so many colleagues from the northeastern side of Wisconsin for some fun times surrounding planning for summer ...and contemplating change.

Here are some of the links I shared with you

Summer Learning -  Horizons National video

Summer Library R/Evolution Pinterest Board

Marinak, Barbara and  Linda Gambrell (2016) No More Reading for Junk: Best Practices for Motivating Readers. Heinemann

Summer 2018 Pinterest Board and here is another one from Wisconsin's Miss Pippi!

Wisconsin Library Association

PDF of slidedeck


Idea Sharing from the workshop:

MUSIC

Ukekeles are inexpensive way to invest to create hands-on music with kids

Consider getting a sponsor(s) from small business(es) to sponsor programs or food for events.

Create songwriting books for teens monthly meetings where attendees can work on songwriting skills; once a year open mic night.

Community Outreach – look into non-profit arts group who often need to do community outreach.

Do Dance Party “Rock n Stroller” CDs…highlight your CD collection.

Street party- block street off if your library is small. Or use nearby park.

Work with your schools that do music. Create an instrument petting zoo and ask high school kids to bring their instruments and demonstate how it is played.

Not a singer, no problem..use rhythm.  

Don’t apologize for singing.

Have a kid parade with homemade instruments

Made eggs and spoons to make shaker and added different things to each (rice, noodles, gravel, ) and have kids listen to the difference

Show videos of sound effects being made – “Foley” is name of making sound effects

Sing along to movies (can you say Frozen?)

Make music with sounds of nature or sounds of your town.

Musical selfie – sing or play some notes that are you and put on library FB page

Listen to a variety of music and draw what they hear (jazz; fast, slow,etc)

Lip sync contest

Folk dance/square dance/line dance

Music camp

Create a jingle for the library

Use digital Garage Band to create music with teens

Rap battles with karoake machines

Do a family talent show

ROCKS

Don’t forget rocks

Rocks build– build with rocks – tower, wall, road, balanced rock sculpture

Rock science - layers of the earth; show different rocks

Rock art – polished rocks; kindness rocks; jewelry with rocks

UW-Madison Geology Museum will lend collections if you pick up and drop off

Check with Weis Museum of UW-Fox Valley campus

Use pictures of rocks to make a mosaic

Rock Fashion Week - tweens and teens can make fashion accessories

Starburst Rock Cycle video

Hope you have a great summer!!

The R/evolution of an SLP

Today, I presented a workshop for the CALL conference on literacy, a collaborative multi-type library event. The presentation was Breaking the Ice: Creating a Successful School/Public Library Winter Literacy Program

While the focus is on the successful years-long winter reading program collaboration, the broader picture is also on how that happy collaboration, begun in 2005, pushed our already evolving experiential SLP further into one that truly became a summer learning experience.

In 1992, in Menasha (WI) Library, we had already begun to morph our SLP from a simple print literacy celebration into one where experiencing the library was added. Kids who checked out books and attended programs could use those activities along with reading and listening to reach their goal.

As the years passed, we added donating food to our food pantry, doing acts of kindness and volunteering for others, and writing book reviews into the mix. We also experimented with kid-friendly formats and weekly cards rather than a summer-long reading log that brought kids in again and again over summer.

When we partnered with our schools in the winter of 2005, we truly discovered how to enfold multiple literacies into our SLP - writing, talking, playing, word games, adventures outside and more. By co-designing the program with our school colleagues, we discovered ways to make our summer library program into a summer learning program that received massive support from our schools. Win-win.

When I came across state to La Crosse, we revamped the library's SLP program to reflect that paradigm and kept growing the experience and the re-formatting of our weekly bookmarks into weekly game cards with more detailed suggested activities for kids to try. We added an early literacy SLP program and let that grow and change as well.

Each and every change brought us closer to creating a summer learning adventure that gave kids multiple pathways to experience the library and its many different literacies. It reminds me how small changes over a long arc of time culminate in an SLP that truly meets the changing needs of our communities.

To find out more, stop here for the slide deck of the presentation!

If You Build It, They Will Come

Today I was in beautiful Madison WI making mischief around the concept of strategizing effective change and building balance in youth programming. And it wouldn't be November in Wisconsin without a look at the summer ahead and quenching the "hair-on-fire" fear we sometimes feel before we realize there are ways to make summer funner!

Below are links to information cited in the presentation.

Happy reading!

Summer Learning
Get Ready for Endless Summer Reading.
Libraries at the Center of Summer Learning Toolkit

Easing the Stress
Summer Library R/Evolution Pinterest Board - links to many articles and posts that help us re-think how we support kids during the summer.
It's the End (and I Don't Want to Die)
Counting Kids
Going Weekly -Prizeless
Unprogramming webinar and resources

Samples of Summer Learning SLP logs
Weekly cards with experiential choices
Passports to adventure
Summer Reading Booklets
Bingo Cards

Building a Better World Program Ideas
Kids Give Back at Portage Public Library
Food Donations, Adopt an Animal, Charity Challenges
Pinterest Board on Build a Better World Program Ideas - Sharon Goforth
Pinterest Board on Build a Better World - Loch-Wouters

Slide Deck

After our workshop, I hope everyone felt that we got here:

Counting Kids - Still Thinking About Summer Reading/Learning

There was recently a thread on the ALSC listserv discussing whether there was a national "finisher" rate for summer reading program.

It became clear pretty quickly that definitions of finishing ranged from counting the number of kids who signed up to the library setting a goal and counting the kids who reach it - and everything in between. It was also pretty apparent that each library takes an individual approach to SLP and the idea of any national benchmark beyond number of kids participating (and even that is shaky) is apples and zucchinis.

I have had my turn at this dance over the years. When we shared information with our schools, we kept careful excel sheet or database data that we updated each time a child returned. When we looked to increase usage by certain grade levels or from certain schools, we loved our stats - and used 'em. When we handed incentives along the way or created a goal, we kept track to see when kids hit that level. I have been stat bound on some level most of my career.

But this summer I watched as colleagues at my former library dispensed altogether with sign-ups. When children registered they put a sneaker on a pillar. Throughout the program, kids could pick up weekly activity sheets. Both methods used the "count back" strategy to arrive at numbers. You know how many sneaker cut-outs you began with and count what you have leftover to determine sign-up numbers (1000 sneakers; 25 left = 975 kids starting the program). You have 300 copies of a weekly activity sheet and at the end of the week you have 10 = 290 kids participated that week.

This took the pressure and onus off the staff and provided less widgeting for kids. Since the library went prizeless a few years ago (except for a book for the kids) and seldom used stats on grade level or school, this was a simple evolution. Kids earned a book this summer after returning once and a "Summer Reader Lives Here" yard sign when they self-reported a 5th return visit.

Record keeping and definitions of success can be administration/board driven or an internal call to crazy stat keeping. But when we break down what we really - no I mean, REALLY - need in stats we gather (whether in-house or online), it may become clear that we are over-asking kids and over-working staff for returns that have no larger meaning.

Finding ways to simplify the process of getting the numbers we need (kids signed up; average participation rate) can take some real stress out of a busy time and carve needed time to reach out and really interact with kids and families. And seems worth the change!

SLP - You Say You Want a R/Evolution

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Yep, it's time once again for summer library and reading program workshops to begin. My colleague Sharon Grover and I gathered our thoughts and tips to do a keynote together for colleagues in the Indianhead Federated Library System in northwestern Wisconsin.

Sharon and I were interested in exploring the winds of change blowing around this annual ritual. From the perceived pressure of patron/staff statements of "THIS -is-how-it-is-done" and responses to change of "But-we've-always-done-it-this-way", we looked at alternatives to fear and opportunities to embrace the challenge of change.

Intentionality in our planning to meet the needs of our community is key. So too are asking questions and examining openly why we continue traditions and practices and whether they serve our needs or true community needs. We looked at the tendency to over-program - and to become so involved in the process of the SLP we create that we suck the joy out of literacy, reading and being with kids.

We looked at going prizeless and the interesting conundrum of teens who plan their SLPs wanting more prizes. We also explored ways to involve teens in ways other than reading including volunteering and concentrating on relationship building with them.

We  shared some stories of libraries creating powerful partnerships and outreach during summer. We looked at ways to engage kids in care and to think beyond reading goals to youth engagement goals when planning our summer library programs.

Finally we talked about how advocacy wraps around all of these issues. Our ability to engage stakeholders from administrators, to coworkers to our community in promoting ongoing change and better service is within the power of each of us. A huge shout-out to ALSC and specifically Jenna Nemec-Loise were given in this portion.

The rest of the workshop was all system members shining brightly as they shared tips in a series of break-out sessions hosted by their peers: handling the rough stuff of summer; strategies to go prizeless; community power; programming for all ages;  SLP promotion ideas; theater games to involve teens (wait, that one was presented by a theatrically inclined teen!), the low-down on performers and more. We all learned a ton!

Below are links that we shared:

• Literacy Offerings and Library Reading Programs - WI DPI Youth Services
• Summer Reading Loss video
• Every Voice Makes a Difference
• ALSC Everyday Advocacy
• The Engaged Library
• Search Institute's Developmental Relationships with Teens
• Improving Reading Comprehension slide deck -  Dr. Richard Allington
• Every Child Every Day - Dr. Richard Allington
• SRP passport - Georgia Jones, Friday Memorial Library, New Richmond WI

Here is our slidedeck

And finally, if you want to read more from libraries around the country engaged in changing up summer library program paradigms, please stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest Board and get inspired!

Thanks to IFLS youth consultant Leah Langby for putting together a learning day for us all!

Shaking Up SLP - Creating the Zen

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Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. These posts look at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

Our guest today is Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, a colleague at LPL who joined our team last August. Kelsey is a thoughtful, let's-work-on-this-together visionary who is active on the Friends of the CCBC board and in library work. Before she joined us here she worked in a library in a small community (pop. 5000) in WI. In this post she shares thoughts about the path to change in your SLP based on a workshop she did for librarians in our system.

What comes to your mind when you think about SLP? Yes, it’s fun and exciting, but it’s also a busy time of year, and sometimes stressful – for you, for other library staff, and sometimes even for patrons. While SLP maybe never be a smooth, stress-free zone, we can do a lot to make it easier on ourselves and everyone around us.

Let’s start by considering what we’re really trying to achieve - what YOU are really trying to achieve at your library. Promoting reading during the summer, of course. But what do you aspire to when it comes to your own SLP? Spreading the word about the importance of early literacy, and getting parents with babies to participate? Showing middle-grade readers that books can be funny and interesting? Just getting more people in the door? Being thoughtful about what YOU want to do with YOUR SLP will give you purpose, common staff goals, and direction. The Harwood Institute, currently partnering with ALA on the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, has a great worksheet on thinking about aspirations. Though the worksheet has a broader community focus, it can easily be adjusted to focus on SLP.

Another important step is to simplify. Do we really need so many sheets and rules and procedures when it comes to participation? Do we really need so many prizes and incentives to get kids to read? Or can we come up with ways to keep SLP fun and fresh and literacy-focused without jumping through so many hoops? Last summer, at my previous library, we spent a lot of time thinking about how to make SLP work better for patrons and more sustainable for ourselves. We simplified procedures, reduced unnecessary elements, and cut way back on incentives. The results were that kids continued their  enthusiastic participation, parents were happy to have less plastic junk, and staff had a much easier time registering participants, explaining the program, and answering questions. Streamlining made everyone happy. Making things less complicated doesn’t mean we’re taking it easy or letting our patrons down. It means we’re being realistic about what we can accomplish, and being thoughtful about sustainable practices.

Finally, let’s talk about prizes. Lots of libraries use them, and that’s okay. There is no prize-shaming here. But are there better ways for us to use incentives when it comes to SLP? I’ve recently noticed several libraries changing the way they incentivize SLP, with fantastic results. Some are thinking about ways they can incorporate altruism, with the “prize” being a Friends-funded donation to a community organization of the child’s choice. Some are giving away books as an incentive. Some are doing away with prizes altogether, focusing on recognition and activity. This past summer in La Crosse, kids could add a sticker to help cover a paper robot on the wall. Research shows that extrinsic motivation, which is the drive to do something because of an external reward, is far less effective than intrinsic motivation, which drives us to do something because we love it. Prizes tap into extrinsic motivation, and while that’s not bad, I believe we can find more effective ways to get kids engaged in literacy. Ways that remind them reading is a fantastic experience in itself.

How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear
Shaking Up SLP - Questions
Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness
Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power

Shaking Up SLP - School Power

Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. These posts look at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

Sue Abrahamson is a children's librarian at Waupaca Area Library in Wisconsin. She is a smart, compassionate librarian and leader who isn't afraid to tilt at windmills and slay a few sacred cows Here are a few she described slaying last summer: little or no SLP decorating; extending the SLP from 8 weeks to the entire summer; only books for prizes (when the staff solicited community partners for money specifically to buy books, the library received $2375!);set up an experiment-a-day to engage kids in the SLP theme; did away with bulletin boards. 

In this post she shares a deeper connection to year round literacy that is the result of - and sets the stage for - outside-the-box schoolage summer reading reading success. By changing how they approach summer reading, Sue and staff have created a richer, deeper connection to the schools - one where the schools know exactly how the library supports the school's work with literacy and reading.

Good Morning Friends!  Please fill your coffee cup and spend five minutes reading my story.

Waupaca, WI - January 20, 2015
Today is the one day set aside in January that I spend the day (my co-worker, Jan, spent 2 hours, too) at our local elementary school reading to classes as part of their PBIS reward system.  Students earn "Rascal Tickets" by working hard, doing great things, and following the "Rascal Way."  They can spend their tickets in many ways, but one way is to save them up and redeem 25 tickets for the public librarian to come to read a story to their class. Teachers can sign up for Public Librarian Visits on a Google Spreadsheet that is shared with all school staff and public library personnel. 

On this day, Sue read in 7 classrooms; Jan read in 3 classrooms.  Sue also scheduled three sessions to meet with school personnel: The gym teacher needed help figuring out how to download ebooks from the library on her new iPad; the Reading Specialist talked about testing and the upcoming school sponsored family reading night that now has the "Every Hero" theme; and the Principal and Vice-Principal met with me to talk about RtI and the relationship they have with the public library and to give me some of their thoughts for our upcoming summit.

The Principal told me that our success first came by his understanding of what we do at the library and how it helps his students and their families.  As a new principal, (and new, too, to elementary school) he heard from bus drivers, teachers and parents about things happening at the public library.  He felt he needed to understand what sort of relationship was already forged and why it was so critically important that people would be calling him about it so often.

He also commented that he thinks having a librarian with a background in education was helpful. (I worked at the school before taking the job at the library.)  Repeatedly he credited my personality and enthusiasm for working together.  He said that it was clear to him that my experience, my passion for helping his students and families learn together outside the school day, my involvement with the Parent Teacher Group, and that I took every opportunity that availed itself to make the school and the public library visually connected demonstrated clearly that we had a shared vision.

The Vice-Principal spoke from the heart about how their PBIS program works to create a culture of support for learning, not just at school but everywhere in the community.  This includes everything from character development to literacy skills, helping students grow and learn their whole lives long into healthy, successful adults.

I read John Rocco's book, Blizzard, to all the students today to introduce the "Every Hero Has a Story" theme.  It was the perfect story to tell for a variety of grades.  It gave us the chance to talk about what makes a person a hero.  It gave students the opportunity to think of people they know who act heroically.  It told the story of a 10-year-old hero who thought outside-the-box to problem-solve in a crisis situation, who put the needs of other ahead of his own, and who grew up to be an author and father who shared his personal story so others can find the hero in themselves.  Hope you can read it soon!


How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear
Shaking Up SLP - Questions
Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness
Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power
Shaking Up SLP- Creating the Zen

Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power

Participants share aspirations at the workshop

Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. These posts look at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

Today's post is from Leah Langby , the Youth Services Coordinator for the Indianhead Library System, a ten county consortium in northwestern Wisconsin. She is also a savvy, supportive and sharp-as-a-tack library advocate and leader who isn't afraid to open the door and gently offer information that leads to change. She is active in many arenas and is currently chair-elect of YSS, our WLA youth section. Check out the system blog she oversees - Keeping Up with Kids - and get it on your feeds!

Every year in the dead of winter, one of the brightest spots is getting together with youth services librarians from around the region for a face-to-face enthusiasm-and-idea-generating extravaganza, known as the Summer Library Program workshop.  For years, we’ve had a great time at this workshop, laughing together, getting inspired with ideas for projects and programs and promotions.  Having a roomful of youth services librarians is a definite recipe for plenty of energy and collaboration, and talking about the summer programs seems to bring out the best of that.

This year, I wanted to nudge us all along a little bit more, thinking about the Summer Library Program in the context of all of youth services, preventing burnout, and re-thinking some of the things we’ve always done.  Prizes or no prizes?  How much time to spend on those decorations?  How can we simplify?  How can we reach out to our community for collaboration, and to reach kids who might not be getting to the library?  How can we make our efforts intentional and effective?  I wanted to do that, but still maintain the festive, energetic, collaborative and mutually supportive atmosphere that sustains us all through the long winter months.

Some of my colleagues in the state who have been thinking about all of these SLP/youth services issues in a smart way were generous enough to come to my system to talk about some of those big issues.  A HUGE shout-out to Shawn Brommer and Sue Abrahamson for gently and humorously helping us feel mighty, consider our aspirations and our strengths, and think about the “sacred cows” we could consider putting out to pasture.  After a two-hour session exploring our super-hero powers with Shawn and Sue, we had several break-out sessions. 

I couldn’t be more pleased and proud of the amazing librarians in our system who stepped up to the plate and hit it out of the park, presenting panels on everything from teen volunteers and programs to collaboration to outreach to stealth programs to the whys and hows of decorations and performers.  Two of the breakout sessions were also hosted by a local maker-space denizen, who showed us some playful ways to interact with problem-solving with kids.  I tried to provide presenters with clear expectations beforehand (this is a new development for me, and it is pretty revolutionary how well it works!).  Almost all of these sessions were about the summer, but also so much more!  It was amazing to tap into the skills, know-how, and experience of the people right here in our system. 

I’ve had more positive feedback from this one workshop/mini-conference than about any other workshop I’ve ever had in my entire 10-year history of planning and implementing workshops (of all kinds).  People were stopping by my office, nearly floating off the floor with excitement about ways they were planning to make their programs last year-round, reach out to their communities, and get more people engaged with the library and reading.  Hooray!  It might be that there is no going back!

How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear
Shaking Up SLP - Questions
Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness
Shaking Up SLP - School Power
Shaking Up SLP- Creating the Zen

Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness

Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. These posts look at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

In Wisconsin, we underwent a sea-change in our reportable statistics for youth programs over the past few years.

In the past, only summer reading program attendance was recognized and counted. You did a winter reading program? Too bad. Not reportable. You did a fall or spring reading program? So sad.

But after discussions with youth librarians around the state, Youth Services and Special Needs consultant Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and her Department of Public Instruction (DPI) colleagues took a different approach - one based on what is really happening in libraries around the state and what research indicates are ways in which programs in libraries are evolving. Now we can count any reading program - summer or not (referred to as "literacy offerings").

That same discussion with frontline library youth staff and careful thought resulted in some deep thoughts and research into reading programs - summer, spring, winter or fall. Last year, DPI published an amazing document put together by Tessa - Offering Library Reading Programs: Top Ten Tips for Librarians - that is quietly knocking the socks off librarians in our state. Reading choice?!?! No prizes?!?! Aligning the reading program with the schools' and public library's mission?!?! Oh yeah, baby!

Best of all the links here point us to research to buttress what we are doing when we start changing how we go about evolving our summer library program. Research and writing on change ease our work in evolving library reading programs by guiding us into tested "this is why this works" and give us needed ammunition to change hearts and minds of our co-workers and management.

This document and the research links can serve us as we shake up our SLP.

How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear
Shaking Up SLP - Questions
Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power
Shaking Up SLP - School Power
Shaking Up SLP- Creating the Zen

Shaking Up SLP - Questions

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Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. This series of  posts looks at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

Where are we going and how do we get where we want to be? That's a question I ask myself all the time - and most especially, in thinking about summer library programs. Two decades ago, I felt like we were on a treadmill of summer madness - how could we get off and change how we did the program to a model that was fun and worthwhile for kids and staff?

The people I worked with joined me in asking questions and looking at the answers as well as the hopes we had. It has led to twenty years of reformatting and evolving the way we do SLP and that change has been part of our planning in every job I've had ever since.

It starts with questions for which no one answer exists. Each library is unique in how the library and community come together. Here's a few questions and some suggestions on what you might do to guide your change process towards making SLP more meaningful at your library.

Begin (or continue) to ask questions:

                Are you reaching the age groups you want?

                Running registrations for storytimes or events that add to workload?

                Constant programming or could you add more breaks?

                Are programs generating increased use/circ by kids?

                Is your registration or reading record process cumbersome?

                Is what you are doing fitting in with library goals or school goals?

                Are the kids focusing on reading or prizes?

                How competitive do you want your program to be?

Think about what you are doing now and why you are doing it :          

* it satisfies kids

*you've always done it this way

* it satisfies you                                                   

* it satisfies parents

* it works

* it doesn’t work but staff or administration REALLY like it

Think about your goals and the outcomes you want  and how they can be accomplished. 

                             For instance, if you want to:

1)  Reach out to as many kids as possible?

In person contact to spread the word on SLP is vital (School promo visits/spring school visits or class visits)

Cooperate with PTOs to spread word

                Get info to schools (bookmarks) prior to parent teacher conferences

                Involve families (parents, preschoolers & readers in program to spread the word)
                Spread the word at other community spots where kids are: child care centers, Boys and Girls's Clubs etc 

2)  Give the kids a fun experience

                Simplify paperwork so focus is on kids who come in, not busywork

Take time for events you and kids enjoy (booktalking; programs); cut down on other unnecessary programs or requirements 

                Experiment with the theme and delivery – or not - of prizes or rewards

3)  Get the kids reading:

                Do lots of reader’s advisory special displays

                Let kids review books

                Do lots of “seat-to-feet” service rather than hugging the desk
                Create experiences that put kids and books together (books at programs for check-out; stealthy games)

  4) Make the program low-stress for kids           

                De-emphasize or eliminate competitive aspects (most books read, etc)

                Let kids read at own pace and in own interest areas
                Consider library use and experiential activities within the library as an achievable outcome

                Allow a break from school-year type demands

                Let kids read at various levels and formats

                Recognize the importance of being read to for preschooler & poor readers

               

   5) Make the program low-stress for staff             

                Keep record keeping simple

                Think about whether elements like oral reports; genre reading; prizes are necessary to the successful       
                      accomplishment of encouraging kids to read in the summer 

               Look for ways to encourage cooperation with the community or schools to support kids & reading (mutual 
                       booklists; beginning of school rewards; programs; Park & Rec)

6) Be creative, inventive and have fun                

                Recognize that libraries are more than books
                Embrace the many formats (inc. digital) and ways that kids come to literacy - it isn't just about reading

                Picture yourself as a promoter and less as a record keeper

                Imagine yourself as marketing guru and your product as reading

                Give yourself permission to innovate

Finally, learn when to say when!

               

It’s important to recognize when elements of your program are no longer effective and to begin planning to change

Evaluate your program:

                Bring staff & volunteers together in a party/meeting

                Establish parent/child focus group to talk about summer

                Talk to school colleagues for scuttlebutt on SLP

                 Don’t be afraid to end elements that no longer work or seek innovative solutions

How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear
Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness
Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power
Shaking Up SLP - School Power
Shaking Up SLP- Creating the Zen

Shaking Up SLP - Facing Down Fear

Change is in the air with SLP. More people are getting outside the box and re-examining the worn-out paradigms of how we engage kids in the summer. This series of posts (some from me, some from guests) looks at aspects of SLP and ask us to think bigger, deeper and wider - and share experiences along the continuum for change. 

For many of us, summer reading programs represent the most sacred of cows. When we started our jobs, we learned HOW.IT.IS.DONE. Even if our predecessor was no longer there, the director, the board, our co-workers and even our patrons had strong thoughts about HIID. It makes it tough not to feel like "Who am I to change things?" But really, when it gets right down to it, you ARE the one with the knowledge and ability to make change happen.

The pressure of HIID stifles creativity, innovation and truly answering the needs of our community. Rather than respond to the literacy needs of kids over summer vacation, the rigid lines of HIID keep many of us in narrow lines of expected service - reading records, genre straightjackets, incentives (that might be considered bribes), competition, and intensive active programming that wipes out energy and staff enthusiasm.

Time and again in my courses, my hallway conversations and my workshops, youth library staff express hesitation, concern and sometimes fear of the patron/co-worker/management reaction that might ensue if any changes are made.  I get that. I am not immune to that same feeling.

BUT...

...what I have found is that our fear is often far worse than the reality of the reaction. I have been involved in massive change and evolution of the SLP for the past twenty years. Each small or large change (no more oral reports; no more writing of every title read; introducing weekly cards to bring in more visits; doing a tween SLP; developing a preschool only SLP; library use/program attendance considered equal to reading in importance; experiential activities tied to literacy/learning at home or at the library; going prizeless) has been embraced by the public and administration. I have seen the same at libraries everywhere.

The one or two voices of dismay are drowned out by the many, many voices of those who appreciate how much more engaged their kids are and how much more they are involved in reading/learning/literacy/books.

A little parenthetical story:
For years, a well-beloved colleague ran a reading program that handed out the same small incentive prize - and only that prize - year after year. Each year, she would buy a new design for this prize. She worked at the library 30 years. After she had been retired for a year, I asked the new children's librarian if she was still doing the same SLP. She said she had changed it immediately. The reaction from the public? They loved the new way SLP was done. Many expressed gratitude that a program they had done as children had finally evolved to a new more interesting way.

What are the key elements to making change successful and being mighty and fearless?

• Due diligence - what change are you contemplating and how will it enrich/enhance the SLP experience for kids?
• Ducks in order - what does the research say? What experiences have colleagues shared? 
• Literacy and learning links - How does this support what is happening already in your schools and larger community in terms of literacy and learning?
• Great communication - make sure your administration is on board. Talk to patrons and school colleagues about ideas well in advance of the change.
• Standing shoulder to shoulder - create a culture of buy-in with co-workers and administration so that the messages you share with the public are positive and the same.

How about you? What have you been thinking about summer reading/library program? Join our conversation in the comments, on your blog or as a guest post writer (send guest posts to me lochwouters at gmail dot com). For additional thoughtful posts, stop by the Summer Reading Revolution Pinterest board or read other upcoming posts in this series

Shaking Up SLP - Questions
Shaking Up SLP - Research-iness
Shaking Up SLP - Workshop Power
Shaking Up SLP - School Power
Shaking Up SLP- Creating the Zen

The Rest of the SLP Prizeless Story

Image via

Yes, we've been as anxious as you to find out what effect our decision to stop giving out weekly prizes for summer would be.  Today we shook out the preliminary stats and....


wait for it......


wait for it....


wait for it....


wait for it....


wait for it....


...no difference!!!!!!!!!!!

We had as many preschool and school-agers coming back for return visits this year when we built our robot as we did when we gave out weekly doo-dads.

Score!!!!

The team felt that with the simplified program we had more time for interactions with the kids and a less stressful summer.  We already have plans in mind for next year to help increase interest in the donation part of the program (three caped superheroes representing three different charities for kids to choose to put their sticker on).

It's good to see these results and put the final cap on a busy summer and great to know our adventure was successful. Onward!

You can read about our journey here, here and here!

Going Weekly-Prizeless (and Robot) Update

We are within ten days of the end of our SLP. We'll figure out final numbers and the upshot in August.

For now, we can say that we have stayed busy and lots of return-adventurers have come back to help us build our robot with their stickers. The excitement of the gamecard design and stickers seems great for the kids and we have YET to hear kids or parents bemoan no weekly doo-dads. While we also included a charity component (our Friends will donate money to the Human Society, Eco Park and Children's Museum based on the kids reading), this has not seemed as motivational as the very visual robot slowly building.

We dreamed the robot like this in this first mini-model. Staff had a little trepidation on how it would all work.  We used quarter sheets of paper that kids could sticker as they went along.  This is how our robot has been growing:

Early June

Early July

Late July

Kids have loved watching the robot get bigger and bigger. Staff has loved NOT dealing with weekly doo-dads. Has the fact that we aren't offering weekly prizes but only the book at the end affected overall return visits to the library? We may be surprised (unpleasantly or pleasantly). Stay tuned for final results next month when we shake out the numbers from our database!

To read about our journey, please stop here, here and here! And for the final results of our SLP, stop HERE!!!!

Books as Prizes - Where's the Money Coming From?

In the Afterschool Program Facebook group, we were chatting recently about books as prizes for SLP and the question came up, "How do you afford books as prizes?" We shared some ideas on inexpensive sources: Half Price books; Scholastic Literacy Partnership, Scholastic Book Fair Warehouse sales; ARCs from conferences.

But that begs the question - where does the money come from? After all,  books are our priciest prize.

One thing we did to find the money was change how we program.

We booked performers for years - singers, magicians, storytellers, performers of one kind and another.  A very few could generate a crowd of 100-150 kids in our auditorium. Most would result in crowds of 25-45 kids and adults - and this in a city of 51,000 population!

The costs involved with performers were substantial - $200 if we were lucky; $300-$500 and up more likely. Add mileage, hotel and expenses and ouch! When we had 25 people in the audience, it meant we were paying anywhere from $10-30 per person in attendance for the program. That didn't seem like a sustainable use of money.

We were also developing some amazing in-house programs led by staff.  It occurred to us that if we continued this strong staff programming and cut back on performers, we would have enough money to fund the hundreds of books that we want to give to kids as prizes.

So we made it so. We still book a performer or two for special events. The money we saved went directly to buying books as prizes for babies through teens. Parents and kids both love these books. Kids get to choose freely from a variety that we put out. We fill our program room for two weeks in August with books for kids to choose from who have completed their SLP in previous weeks.

Of course, we could also have written grants, looked for donors or sought money in other ways. But we chose to enfold books into existing programming money. By changing our priorities we made sure we could make a book in the hand of a child happen. Seems worth it!

(For more thoughts on sustainability and funding in Youth Services, see this series starting here that I wrote last fall).

Photo courtesy of Pixabay