Managing Troops of Groups

Summer is an extra busy time because the library is a destination not only for our families but also daycares and organizations that care for kids during the summer.  We are thrilled when we see people respond to our PR push for summer library use. But it is easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer number of groups and daycares that come en masse into the Youth Department.

Often the groups and daycares come in with summer-job, college-aged staff who lack skills in managing room behavior.  There are always some staffers who space out, text or chat together, hoping library staff will intervene to keep kids on the right track. While I understand the challenges of working with kids for hours on end daily, we want the caregivers to be actively engaged.

After a few years of chaos, our team put our heads together and figured out a strategy to try to make these visits successful for all. The results have really made a difference.

We reach out in May/June to directors of the groups who are regulars to ask what days and times they plan to drop by. If another group is already coming then, we recommend they choose another time.

We share the behavior guidelines we expect the organization's staff to actively enforce while their kids are with us. We ask for active engagement of the center's staff with the kids in their care at all times during library visits.

We explain our  simplified "group SLP" option - a poster and stickers plus a prize that we send out to the location so kids who read can be in an SLP remotely. We offer this as an alternative to trying to get all the kids signed up for our main SLP program on visits.

Finally, we let them know that on their first visit we will do a lightning orientation with the kids. This is absolutely a key element.

When the group comes in, we either take them into our program room or gather them in a quiet spot and welcome them. Then in a brief two-minute orientation, we give the kids the information they need to use the room successfully:

• Qustions and help can be found by asking the librarians at the desk who are happy to help them.
• The location of browsing sticks and blue bins to put books they use in the room but don't check out.
• Walking feet please.
• The boat is for reading only.
• Voices at 1 or 1.5 please.

Care-staff and kids hear the same message. We have seen much better use of the room, especially since we started the mini-orientation this year. This also helps us when we need to remind care staff subsequently if they start getting drifty in their responsibilities - and keeps communication respectful and open.

Being pro-active in laying out the parameters of how to use the library is just one part of room management that keeps the busy summer time more manageable for staff. And the results benefit not just the kids in care but everyone using the library at the same time.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Just Say It! - Poor Behaviors and You

One of the things that many youth folks struggle with is managing their space in a way that allows many users at the same time to experience the youth area in a fairly pleasant way.  The recent posts on pubyac on patron rules and posts at S. Bryce Kozla (here and here) and my own experience at the libraries I've worked at has me thinking.

I think some of our problems in this area revolve around personality traits of whoever is working desk. Introverts find it painful to confront kids/adults displaying poor behaviors. The "if-I-just-shut-my-eyes/ears-it-will go away-soon" method is a strategy that is often employed here.  Staffers who refuse to take responsibility (they-don't pay-me-enough-to-deal-with-this) wait out the end of their desk shift as well. Folks who are gentle souls and unfailingly pleasant find it nearly impossible to deliver negative news or behavior guidelines that might impact the user negatively.

Nervous folks worry that any statement on the part of staff could result in a patron leaving the library in a huff, trashing them to the director and then never coming back to use the library. Bullying staff who love to order everyone around have no concern in this area and run the room in such a rigid style that patrons really DON'T want to use the room and find alternate libraries or hope someone else is working when they come in.

So. I can't say I have a magic formula for the solving these behavior problems. But here's the thoughts behind how I approach situations and what I hope the people I manage will do as well.

Part of my strategy is to always be aware of the mood or tenor of the area.  Kids having meltdowns - that's life; ignore it.  Adults having cellphone conversations quietly -ignore it. Tweens mock-fighting- intervene. Toddlers climbing on furniture or using the giant giraffe as a climbing wall- intervene. Kids running/shouting - intervene (Walk, please; Quiet voices please). Kids talking excitedly with each other or adults -ignore. Parents chatting loudly in front of the desk preventing staff from hearing patron requests on phone or in front of them - intervene.

I don't wait until my blood pressure is sky high, my temper frayed or the behavior so out of control it can't be reined in. By being clear on what behaviors and conduct are expected (yes, get those codes of conduct written up!) and responding in a timely manner, much drama and upset can be avoided (think of the Dog Whisperer here, counseling that small corrections consistently prevent dogs from getting into the "red zone").

When intervention is called for, I just say it calmly without getting upset. I usually briefly say to adults why I am asking for a change in behavior. I find that usually elicits the best results. For kids, I am the adult, and asking for the behavior I expect is done directly with them. It helps the parent understand what I am expecting and they often take the reins from there.  If that doesn't happen, I may spend a few seconds explaining to the parent why we don't let toddlers run wild on our reading boat or why the behavior their child is displaying needs to stop.

Not all interactions are successful. I certainly get resistance, some occasional  rude comments (I'm being nice here). Sometimes, if swearing or disrespect to the staff or other users is involved, the adult is escorted out of the library for the day (or longer if the abuse is egregious). I don't allow abusive behavior or ignoring reasonable requests to change behavior. I am the authority when I am on desk.
I am always confident in the fact that I can keep the room from descending into chaos.  I do have a responsibility to keep the needs of the many in mind in helping people use the room appropriately.

By saying what needs to be said and displaying calm power, appropriate behaviors are easier to guide. At least that's how it works for me! What about you?

Image: 'BldDwCg'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/73344134@N00/4829944582 Found on flickrcc.net