You're Like a Hero

On Tuesday, I put our new outreach program into action.

Sara, Roxy, and I travelled to a local elementary school so that we could share with them our Summer Reading Program and other library services.  Armed with 6 totes (600 books), two laptops, scanners, a receipt printer, and a display, we ventured to make a difference in students' lives.

When I first came up with the idea, I wasn't sure how it would go over.  I knew that a lot of the students in this school district did not have a way to get to the library, and probably more did not have internet access.  Without these vital things (that we all take for granted), they could not participate in our Summer Reading Program.

We packed up and arrived at the school at 8 am.  Finding our own area in their library, we set up everything and waited:

On Monday, I made the comment about us being really bored or really slammed.  The latter was true.  Before 11:30, we had seen at least 150 students.  There are 375 students enrolled in Summer School.  It was non-stop action.  We signed up 56 kids for library cards, and they checked out 120 books.  Of those books, a third of them were graphic novels, effectively draining our initial supply.  School libraries don't typically collect graphic novels yet.  They LOVED them.

If the next 3 weeks are even half as successful as this week, I will be elated.  Even if no students come in, I will be happy.  I think that this is a big first step in keeping these kids reading, and making it fun.  They even ransacked my display on different countries!  Thanks to those that contributed pieces, by the way.

When we got back to the branch, we were exhausted.  We barely had time to do anything but register students for cards at the school, but it was well worth it.  This is the kind of thing that I've always wanted to do through libraries.  I say that realizing that I've only been in libraries for 4 years.  If just one of these students goes on to make a difference in the world, it could be because of us.  It sounds airy, but I think that it is true.  They may not remember me specifically and they may not even remember that the library came to their school, but the knowledge that they may gain from this endeavor will have shown through in what they accomplish.

One of my friends commented "You're like a hero!"  I don't think I'm a hero.  I'm just doing what I love to do, and what I feel needs to be done.  That same friend also said that I make being librarian sound rad (or something to that effect).  I don't make it sound rad; it IS rad.

Next week, I put my Mo Willems stylings into action.  Stay tuned...