Summer Reflections
I learned a great deal about our library and our community this summer. I am hoping that these revelations will better help me shape our collection and programming.
For the first time, we circulated books over the summer. I offered students with no outstanding books the opportunity to check out up to 10 books for the summer. With a signed permission slip, these students came to see me before the end of school and we circulated a total of 254 books to 20 students this summer. I was thrilled to have at least SOME of our books being read this summer. I couldn't stand the thought of a beautiful collection of books being locked up for the summer while children without books live only blocks away. We lost only a small handful of books and I would call that piece of summer a great success.
My second summer success was the genre-fication of the fiction section. (A more detailed post will follow at some point, but a brief synopsis follows here). Two volunteers and I got started in June while school was still in session. I started categorizing books in categories that are frequently asked for.
Over the course of the summer we moved these books, changed their call numbers, and labeled them with stickers. My final project was to create labels for these categories. 44 hours later we were open and ready for business (just in time for the first class to return).
My summer flop was my "Open Library" program. For the first time, our library was open on Wednesday afternoons throughout the month of July. The school was already in use for Summer School and Enrichment Programs throughout the day. I timed the opening of our library to coincide with the dismissal of the morning program. I envisioned students attending a morning program, staying to spend some time in the library, and being picked up later in the afternoon. The average attendance was 5 students, and the students that I saw were the "regulars." You know those students - the ones that are frequent fliers and love the library anyway. I was hoping to see the kids that NEEDED books and might not make it to the public library. I was hoping to see the kids that could use a little special attention.
I created a theme for the first two weeks and had several read alouds and all kinds of centers based around that theme, including related books.
I envisioned engaged children cycling through centers and exploring all kinds of books. Instead, they gravitated toward the games and each other. They clearly wanted the company of each other and good riveting game of Guess Who. By week 3 I was prepared and gave them just what they wanted - I rounded up all kinds of games like Guess Who, BananaGrams, Quirkle, and Battle Ship to name a few. Students chose a handful of books and then settled in to play.
While I was reflecting on my summer flop, I attended NerdCamp and went to a session about getting out into the community with a Book Bus. Now THAT is what I need! If the kids won't come to me, perhaps I should go to them. This gave me some excellent food for thought. I am not sure we are ready for a bus at this moment in time, but I am wondering if I can modify this idea for next summer. Could I take books into communities where our students reside and read to and with them in their community spaces? If they won't come to me, I could go to them. The beauty of this idea is that I have time to process and plan.
All in all, it was a wonderfully productive summer.
For the first time, we circulated books over the summer. I offered students with no outstanding books the opportunity to check out up to 10 books for the summer. With a signed permission slip, these students came to see me before the end of school and we circulated a total of 254 books to 20 students this summer. I was thrilled to have at least SOME of our books being read this summer. I couldn't stand the thought of a beautiful collection of books being locked up for the summer while children without books live only blocks away. We lost only a small handful of books and I would call that piece of summer a great success.
My second summer success was the genre-fication of the fiction section. (A more detailed post will follow at some point, but a brief synopsis follows here). Two volunteers and I got started in June while school was still in session. I started categorizing books in categories that are frequently asked for.
Over the course of the summer we moved these books, changed their call numbers, and labeled them with stickers. My final project was to create labels for these categories. 44 hours later we were open and ready for business (just in time for the first class to return).
My summer flop was my "Open Library" program. For the first time, our library was open on Wednesday afternoons throughout the month of July. The school was already in use for Summer School and Enrichment Programs throughout the day. I timed the opening of our library to coincide with the dismissal of the morning program. I envisioned students attending a morning program, staying to spend some time in the library, and being picked up later in the afternoon. The average attendance was 5 students, and the students that I saw were the "regulars." You know those students - the ones that are frequent fliers and love the library anyway. I was hoping to see the kids that NEEDED books and might not make it to the public library. I was hoping to see the kids that could use a little special attention.
I created a theme for the first two weeks and had several read alouds and all kinds of centers based around that theme, including related books.
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| Read Alouds (Finding Dory week) |
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| Creating 3-D art |
While I was reflecting on my summer flop, I attended NerdCamp and went to a session about getting out into the community with a Book Bus. Now THAT is what I need! If the kids won't come to me, perhaps I should go to them. This gave me some excellent food for thought. I am not sure we are ready for a bus at this moment in time, but I am wondering if I can modify this idea for next summer. Could I take books into communities where our students reside and read to and with them in their community spaces? If they won't come to me, I could go to them. The beauty of this idea is that I have time to process and plan.
All in all, it was a wonderfully productive summer.
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