I was called a "servant leader" last week.
From wikipedia (what a terrible thing to do, Mr. Librarian): "Servant leadership is both a leadership philosophy and set of leadership practices. Traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid.” By comparison, the servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible."
You know who else has been called a servant leader? Jesus.
I'm not Jesus, and I'm definitely not Christ-like, as another person soon commented. I do want the best for my staff, and I want them to succeed. I also step in wherever needed so that the job gets done. Lately, it just seems like our staff has gotten smaller and smaller, and
the only way for us to tread water is for me to step in, which I don't
mind doing at all. I've been doing this a lot. I even missed some deadlines (oops). I want my staff performing well and doing good work. The behind-the-scenes work is important, but it's secondary to the service we provide, and it should always be that way. Maybe that's surprising to some people?
Call me Jesus; call me Your Lordship; call me Al. Whatever. Actually, don't. Just call me Dan, or something along those lines. Give me a normal name to counteract the weirdness in which I bask constantly.
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Education for the Chamber of Commerce
This past year, I was encouraged to chair the Education Committee for the Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce. I was also told that I was chosen for my position because I was an idea man. I do have ideas, and I like testing them, but I'm not 100% sure on the outcomes. Anyway, they asked me to bring ideas for the committee, but I had no idea what to do because I wasn't exactly sure on where the committee was/is headed. I hosted the meeting today anyway (as you do).
Wow. In 1 hour, we formulated 4 educational events with 3 community partners, and even talked about co-hosting some legislative events. They are already on the calendar through October! The best part? The first educational event is a library showcase IN THE LIBRARY. I'm still surprised at how many people don't know what libraries have to offer. I'm going to change that in April. Hosted with a lunch, the event is going to be open for the Chamber members and the public. They asked if I could have something ready by then. Of course! I can whip out library presentations faster than anything. It helps that I love libraries so much.
For the next meeting, they asked for me to come up with a vision of the education committee and where I thought it should go. I can't wait to see what this adventure has in store for me. Let the juggling act begin!
Wow. In 1 hour, we formulated 4 educational events with 3 community partners, and even talked about co-hosting some legislative events. They are already on the calendar through October! The best part? The first educational event is a library showcase IN THE LIBRARY. I'm still surprised at how many people don't know what libraries have to offer. I'm going to change that in April. Hosted with a lunch, the event is going to be open for the Chamber members and the public. They asked if I could have something ready by then. Of course! I can whip out library presentations faster than anything. It helps that I love libraries so much.
For the next meeting, they asked for me to come up with a vision of the education committee and where I thought it should go. I can't wait to see what this adventure has in store for me. Let the juggling act begin!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
MLA/KLA Planning
Again, I find myself surrounded by people with great ideas. Today was the second meeting of the 2015 steering committee, and to celebrate, we toured the facility. I have to say that we will have one of the best views in Kansas City for this conference! Looking out over the Kauffman Center will be amazing. There are colored lights that change in sequence too, making our events even snappier! After the tour, we talked about our reactions and more ideas. Like I said after our first meeting, it was hard enough for me to keep up with everyone. I'm honored to be a cat wrangler for this team. That's the term they used to describe Kelly and me. We'll see how the cats behave themselves as we move forward, heh.
Put it on your calendar now because you won't want to miss it! September 30th - October 2, 2015 for the Joint Conference of MLA and KLA. BOOM
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Changes
I changed the name of my blog. I had been emphasizing all of the things that I wasn't, and I had it as a theme for a long time. As it turns out, that was stupid. I know who I am; I like who I am; and I also ran across a really great library quote by Herbert Samuel (even if he WAS a Brit).
Here we have it: Thoughts in Cold Storage. I thought it was appropriate because this is where some of my thoughts will be preserved. Also, if I don't post for a while (like I did previously), my blog will go cold for a while so there's that? Hope you enjoy.
Here's Pete the Cat:
Toodles...
Here we have it: Thoughts in Cold Storage. I thought it was appropriate because this is where some of my thoughts will be preserved. Also, if I don't post for a while (like I did previously), my blog will go cold for a while so there's that? Hope you enjoy.
Here's Pete the Cat:
Toodles...
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Conference Season, Part 3 or “You’re From Missouri?!”
I pulled into Topeka. First thing I noticed?
Well, this was going to be an adventure; I could already tell. That first day was a blur: hashtag confusion, neglecting to live-tweet a session, my first Thai food (DELICIOUS IN MY FACE), and getting to watch the Cardinals at the Blind Tiger brewery before I nearly fell asleep. It was a long day, apparently. Day 1 over. Crash.
I woke in the morning, as one does, and caught the keynote address by Jeff Kober, Customer Service guru of Disney. Yeah, he talked about customer service; there was a lot to say. However, the most impactful part of his address was how the library changed his life. When he was in school, he went to the library and gravitated toward a National Geographic issue that had a 26-page report on Walt Disney/Disneyworld. He would go and read it, and put it back. He’d come back the next day and do the same. One day, after probably memorizing the entire article, he approached the librarian. He said that he really REALLY liked the magazine and asked if he could have it. The librarian obviously said yes. How did that change his life? Well, just then he pulled out that exact issue on stage. With tears in his eyes, he explained that librarians change lives in ways that we don’t even know. At the beginning of the second day of my third conference, I realized that my library journey had come full circle. Damn. Also, 3 keynotes in as many conferences bringing my average up to .600.
The next activity that got me excited? A session on comics followed by Battledecks, KLA style. On the flatter side of the border, Battledecks was done as a breakout session. Guess who was a contestant? That’s right…
She didn’t win 1st, but she did win a giant flamingo subsequently named Floyd which might actually be (no, it IS) better. The next stop was lunch. Jo Budler, library rock star and Kansas State Librarian gave a great address on the state of Kansas libraries while we devoured lasagna. My lunch buddies included twins, Floyd the Flamingo (and Erin of course), a free book, a South Dakotan, and MORE library swag. Throughout the entire day, I kept hearing “you’re from Missouri?” like it was an extreme curiosity that I was there. I guess it was; I was the only Missouri librarian there. They didn’t seem to mind, though. They commented on the Juvenile Series/Sequels database which MCPL has, and I thanked them and commented on… how flat Kansas is? In my defense, Kansans commented on that fact, too. It IS a fact.
I went to the SLIM reception that night. I won’t elaborate on that here. Maybe I’ll wait until February.
After that, we toured the State Capital, including the State Library. Wow. The restorations/renovations to the entire building were amazing. So many things kept being more awesome than the previous awesome things!
When we got back to the hotel, I had a couple of drinks, spent the night talking about different things with a new friend, then crashed. Day 2, over.
Day 3 – learned some crazy ideas to try for NaNoWriMo, then listened to Jack Gantos talk about his pets’ incredible deaths. An alligator, a car, digging their own grave? Dang… He still uses small journals to write his books and has written about 30 books while in a library. I’m telling you, Jack Gantos is a riot and a magnificent storyteller.
I don’t want to think about how many emails I have when I get back to work...
You can ask me...what does the fox say at conference? #klc2013
— Erin Downey Howerton (@hybridlib) October 9, 2013
Well, this was going to be an adventure; I could already tell. That first day was a blur: hashtag confusion, neglecting to live-tweet a session, my first Thai food (DELICIOUS IN MY FACE), and getting to watch the Cardinals at the Blind Tiger brewery before I nearly fell asleep. It was a long day, apparently. Day 1 over. Crash.
I woke in the morning, as one does, and caught the keynote address by Jeff Kober, Customer Service guru of Disney. Yeah, he talked about customer service; there was a lot to say. However, the most impactful part of his address was how the library changed his life. When he was in school, he went to the library and gravitated toward a National Geographic issue that had a 26-page report on Walt Disney/Disneyworld. He would go and read it, and put it back. He’d come back the next day and do the same. One day, after probably memorizing the entire article, he approached the librarian. He said that he really REALLY liked the magazine and asked if he could have it. The librarian obviously said yes. How did that change his life? Well, just then he pulled out that exact issue on stage. With tears in his eyes, he explained that librarians change lives in ways that we don’t even know. At the beginning of the second day of my third conference, I realized that my library journey had come full circle. Damn. Also, 3 keynotes in as many conferences bringing my average up to .600.
The next activity that got me excited? A session on comics followed by Battledecks, KLA style. On the flatter side of the border, Battledecks was done as a breakout session. Guess who was a contestant? That’s right…
Time for @hybridlib to go for #battledecks! #klc2013
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 10, 2013
She didn’t win 1st, but she did win a giant flamingo subsequently named Floyd which might actually be (no, it IS) better. The next stop was lunch. Jo Budler, library rock star and Kansas State Librarian gave a great address on the state of Kansas libraries while we devoured lasagna. My lunch buddies included twins, Floyd the Flamingo (and Erin of course), a free book, a South Dakotan, and MORE library swag. Throughout the entire day, I kept hearing “you’re from Missouri?” like it was an extreme curiosity that I was there. I guess it was; I was the only Missouri librarian there. They didn’t seem to mind, though. They commented on the Juvenile Series/Sequels database which MCPL has, and I thanked them and commented on… how flat Kansas is? In my defense, Kansans commented on that fact, too. It IS a fact.
I went to the SLIM reception that night. I won’t elaborate on that here. Maybe I’ll wait until February.
After that, we toured the State Capital, including the State Library. Wow. The restorations/renovations to the entire building were amazing. So many things kept being more awesome than the previous awesome things!Day 3 – learned some crazy ideas to try for NaNoWriMo, then listened to Jack Gantos talk about his pets’ incredible deaths. An alligator, a car, digging their own grave? Dang… He still uses small journals to write his books and has written about 30 books while in a library. I’m telling you, Jack Gantos is a riot and a magnificent storyteller.
Seeing Jack Gantos at KLA! Great outfit BTW. pic.twitter.com/kRbF4qW8LEApparently, I sat next to Lawrence Public Library, too. That’s my watch and phone. Oh, and Corduroy?
— Lawrence Public Lib (@lawrencelibrary) October 11, 2013
Corduroy: "Everything sends him into a decline" #truth #klc2013Some other things happened, but they were mostly KLA business things, so I headed to Lawrence and started reading Locke & Key at the library. I’m such a library fangirl.
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 11, 2013
I don’t want to think about how many emails I have when I get back to work...
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Conference Season, Part 2 or “Why Do Roads Going North Take You South???”
After a brief rest in St. Louis, I began my journey to Hot Springs, Arkansas by way of Memphis. Yes, by way of Memphis. I wasn’t going to try to take a two-lane highway down through the Ozarks; I’m not THAT crazy. Since I was going near Memphis, I thought that I would grab some BBQ. Well, that didn’t work out so well. I was probably a bit out of it because I couldn’t find a BBQ place that was open on a Sunday. So, I ended up eating in… a very small town in Arkansas. The names have been removed to protect the innocent. This town… This town looked liked a methocracy used for shuttling migrant workers through the flyover states. Wow, I’m going to hell for that. There were very few teeth there, and a lot of people (NOT NECESSARILY MEXICANS) who piled into trucks dressed as farmers/laborers. Anyway… enough justification. I got back on the highway only to find roadwork. I had to take a long detour through the country which was pretty nice. It set me back about an hour and a half, but it was nice.
I arrived at the hotel in Hot Springs after driving through some truly beautiful landscapes, and headed over to scope out the convention center. Good grief; it was at least a half-mile walk to the rooms. After burning about 20,000 calories, I headed out to meet some conference goers at a bath house turned brewery. While there, I met Lowell, who might just know more about history than I do. Trivia: did you know that Hot Springs was the first location of baseball’s Spring Training? Also, Hot Springs was where all the gangsters hung out. Al Capone and all of those guys came down to Hot Springs and relaxed. It was neutral ground because, well, THEY’RE HOT SPRINGS.
Back to the conference. We presented at 11am and had about 40 attendees! A couple of ladies were far too nice and said that it was the best training session they had been to. I doubt that, but thank you kindly. Jennifer and I ended up sitting with them over lunch and the gentle sounds of Ozark music. After lunch, I went to a couple of sessions, and I made it a point to sit in on Pam Sandlian-Smith’s keynote. She is the director of Anythink Libraries (Adams County, Colorado). During her time there, they have completely rebranded and become a vastly different system. They strive on infusing creativity in everything. 90% of kindergartners self-identify as being creative, but only 2% of high-schoolers do. Anythink embraces and encourages creativity.
I slipped out of ArLA shortly thereafter and headed up to Topeka, by way of Springfield. You know how odd-numbered highways go north and south? Well, US Highway 65 definitely goes north AND south. I was trying to get to Springfield, and the road kept leading me south… stupid Ozark mountains. To end on a brighter note, I followed a log truck most of the way, and I kept imagining the Final Destination scenario where the log dislodges and flies through the windshield. Happy thoughts!
On to Topeka for another great adventure in libraryland, the Kansas Library Conference!
I arrived at the hotel in Hot Springs after driving through some truly beautiful landscapes, and headed over to scope out the convention center. Good grief; it was at least a half-mile walk to the rooms. After burning about 20,000 calories, I headed out to meet some conference goers at a bath house turned brewery. While there, I met Lowell, who might just know more about history than I do. Trivia: did you know that Hot Springs was the first location of baseball’s Spring Training? Also, Hot Springs was where all the gangsters hung out. Al Capone and all of those guys came down to Hot Springs and relaxed. It was neutral ground because, well, THEY’RE HOT SPRINGS.
Back to the conference. We presented at 11am and had about 40 attendees! A couple of ladies were far too nice and said that it was the best training session they had been to. I doubt that, but thank you kindly. Jennifer and I ended up sitting with them over lunch and the gentle sounds of Ozark music. After lunch, I went to a couple of sessions, and I made it a point to sit in on Pam Sandlian-Smith’s keynote. She is the director of Anythink Libraries (Adams County, Colorado). During her time there, they have completely rebranded and become a vastly different system. They strive on infusing creativity in everything. 90% of kindergartners self-identify as being creative, but only 2% of high-schoolers do. Anythink embraces and encourages creativity.
"The library's role is the interaction between content an people." #ArLA2013
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 7, 2013
We ARE that place. We ARE that connector. We ARE the #thirdplace. #ArLA2013
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 7, 2013
It's our job to change everyone's perception of #libraries. #ArLA2013I could go on and on about her, but I think that those words can convey a brilliant message to the masses. These are the kinds of things that keep me passionate about libraries. Oh, and if you’re keeping score, that’s 2 keynotes after not having gone to one previously.
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 7, 2013
 |
| Farewell, ArLA. |
On to Topeka for another great adventure in libraryland, the Kansas Library Conference!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Conference Season, Part 1 or "Hey, I'm a Fangirl"
I haven't posted anything for almost 6 months. It's not that I don't care; I just haven't had time. Somehow, I can tweet multiple times a day but can't put together enough cohesive thoughts to form a full blog. I have time and cohesiveness now. Prepare.
It's the most wonderful time of the year: Conference Season. I love working in libraries, but this is my time of year. At conferences, you can learn new things. You can meet new people. You can see new places. For me, this is the time of year where I get inspired. In fact, projects that I have started at MCPL can be attributed, at least in part, to the wealth of ideas that were shared at previous conferences.
This year was different. Yes, I went for the ideas and networking, but I was also supposed to start getting a feel for how the conference happens. Since I'm coordinating (along with the fabulous Kelly from Kansas) the 2015 joint conference of KLA & MLA, I had to start getting things together. So, my first stop was MLA.
Tuesday: I was invited to the annual Board dinner before the conference. I arrived and saw many people whom I recognized, and even helped a colleague crash the invite-only dinner! In my/his defense, there was food that was going to go to waste, and we can't have that. Well, he crashed and Barbara Stripling, ALA President, ended up sitting next to him. After the dinner, we moved over to the students' reception WITH DESSERT. While there, Barbara and I talked for what must have been an hour! If you haven't met her or read anything about her, you should. She's an awesome, AWESOME lady and I am proud that she is at the head of such a wonderful organization. I think I'm a fangirl.
Wednesday: HUMP DAYYYYYYYY!
Wednesday was fairly uneventful (as uneventful as it could have been). I went to a nice presentation on Outreach to the Blind, and was sure to catch the Keynote address BY BARBARA STRIPLING. This was my 3rd MLA Conference, but only my first Keynote. Barbara spoke about her/ALA's initiative, "Declaring Our Right to Libraries." It's pretty powerful stuff. Libraries change lives, enrich communities, and are a necessity in the world. Read more about it here. That night I participated in Battledecks, a PowerPoint Karaoke of sorts involving random slides and contestants trying to bring them together in a cohesive theme. I didn't place, but I got to enjoy a lot of Cardinals gifs and dance on a stage, which is ALWAYS a good night.
Oh, and St. Louis Public Library's newly renovated Central Branch is AMAZING. Like Gerald Brooks said, "It's amazing what $55 million can do."
Thursday: Thursday is when everything happened. I presented for the first time, along with Jennifer on Making the Transition from Trainee to Trainer. Then, after learning about integrating science into preschool events and librarian trading cards, we headed up to the room and changed into our Cardinals' attire for the annual business meeting. Life Pro Tip: Don't yawn while sitting near the front of the meeting AND within direct line of sight of the President; they'll call you out on it.
After that, it was time to eat. We shot up to the 12th floor to eat at Kobe, and we were easily the loudest people there. Hibachi takes time, and we didn't make it back quite soon enough for me to see all of the awards given out. However, I was coerced to sit at a table (instead of in back) for the awards. I just wanted to sneak in, watch, and sneak out. Well, as I'm getting up to leave, Candice wants me to come with her to check on everyone. Next thing I know, I'm being introduced to State Senators in my Cardinals shirt, shorts, and boat shoes. I was told later that they won't remember the way anyone was dressed. FALSE; they will definitely remember the DUDE that came in to a formal dinner with a t-shirt and shorts on.
Then there were random people coming up to meet me.
Then there was the dance party, and photo booth.
Then there was the hotel bar and a night spent with Gentleman Jack.
Then the cops came to break up the loud librarians at 1:30 in the morning.
Then there were the free drink glasses.
Then I died temporarily until 8:30 this morning when I ate breakfast by myself. It was nice to have a little bit of down time. I felt like I was constantly talking with people (I probably was).
Friday: After that breakfast, I stopped in on the final "Web/Tech Tools that Make You Look Cool" by the magnificent Cindy Dudenhoffer, and then proceeded to catch the end of the Performers' Showcase.
It's the most wonderful time of the year: Conference Season. I love working in libraries, but this is my time of year. At conferences, you can learn new things. You can meet new people. You can see new places. For me, this is the time of year where I get inspired. In fact, projects that I have started at MCPL can be attributed, at least in part, to the wealth of ideas that were shared at previous conferences.
This year was different. Yes, I went for the ideas and networking, but I was also supposed to start getting a feel for how the conference happens. Since I'm coordinating (along with the fabulous Kelly from Kansas) the 2015 joint conference of KLA & MLA, I had to start getting things together. So, my first stop was MLA.
Tuesday: I was invited to the annual Board dinner before the conference. I arrived and saw many people whom I recognized, and even helped a colleague crash the invite-only dinner! In my/his defense, there was food that was going to go to waste, and we can't have that. Well, he crashed and Barbara Stripling, ALA President, ended up sitting next to him. After the dinner, we moved over to the students' reception WITH DESSERT. While there, Barbara and I talked for what must have been an hour! If you haven't met her or read anything about her, you should. She's an awesome, AWESOME lady and I am proud that she is at the head of such a wonderful organization. I think I'm a fangirl.
Uh... I just met and talked with the president of ALA, Barbara Stripling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 2, 2013
#molib2013 Dessert Social for ALA President Barbara Stripling and LIS students pic.twitter.com/Ty7ssPxwFUAlso, I kept trying to look beautiful for the photographer, but I must have let down my guard for that pic. However, there lies the PROOF.
— cnpryor01 (@cnpryor01) October 2, 2013
Wednesday: HUMP DAYYYYYYYY!
Wednesday was fairly uneventful (as uneventful as it could have been). I went to a nice presentation on Outreach to the Blind, and was sure to catch the Keynote address BY BARBARA STRIPLING. This was my 3rd MLA Conference, but only my first Keynote. Barbara spoke about her/ALA's initiative, "Declaring Our Right to Libraries." It's pretty powerful stuff. Libraries change lives, enrich communities, and are a necessity in the world. Read more about it here. That night I participated in Battledecks, a PowerPoint Karaoke of sorts involving random slides and contestants trying to bring them together in a cohesive theme. I didn't place, but I got to enjoy a lot of Cardinals gifs and dance on a stage, which is ALWAYS a good night.
Oh, and St. Louis Public Library's newly renovated Central Branch is AMAZING. Like Gerald Brooks said, "It's amazing what $55 million can do."
Thursday: Thursday is when everything happened. I presented for the first time, along with Jennifer on Making the Transition from Trainee to Trainer. Then, after learning about integrating science into preschool events and librarian trading cards, we headed up to the room and changed into our Cardinals' attire for the annual business meeting. Life Pro Tip: Don't yawn while sitting near the front of the meeting AND within direct line of sight of the President; they'll call you out on it.
After that, it was time to eat. We shot up to the 12th floor to eat at Kobe, and we were easily the loudest people there. Hibachi takes time, and we didn't make it back quite soon enough for me to see all of the awards given out. However, I was coerced to sit at a table (instead of in back) for the awards. I just wanted to sneak in, watch, and sneak out. Well, as I'm getting up to leave, Candice wants me to come with her to check on everyone. Next thing I know, I'm being introduced to State Senators in my Cardinals shirt, shorts, and boat shoes. I was told later that they won't remember the way anyone was dressed. FALSE; they will definitely remember the DUDE that came in to a formal dinner with a t-shirt and shorts on.
Then there were random people coming up to meet me.
Then there was the dance party, and photo booth.
Then there was the hotel bar and a night spent with Gentleman Jack.
Then the cops came to break up the loud librarians at 1:30 in the morning.
Then there were the free drink glasses.
Then I died temporarily until 8:30 this morning when I ate breakfast by myself. It was nice to have a little bit of down time. I felt like I was constantly talking with people (I probably was).
Friday: After that breakfast, I stopped in on the final "Web/Tech Tools that Make You Look Cool" by the magnificent Cindy Dudenhoffer, and then proceeded to catch the end of the Performers' Showcase.
Can I live at conference forever? #molib20132015 is going to be amazing, guys. Stay tuned. For me, it's on to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a second helping of our presentation.
— Dan (@kasmsod) October 4, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Waiting...
So, I decided to apply for a second job again. I've done it intermittently over the past year or so with no luck. This time, I feel good about an opportunity. However, I am in the parking lot because I have to wait. I'm here; they're here. They won't let anyone in for at least another half hour.
Why a second job? Grad school. Even though I only have 3 classes left, I can't take them because I still owe an exorbitant amount for a singular class I took last year. They will not let me move forward until the amount is paid. I'd really love to finish my degree, but it seems like there's always something that gets in my way.
If you're thinking that I make more than enough as a librarian to pay off my class, you don't know many librarians. I'm not in this for the money. I love my job; I love almost everything about it. I just don't make quite enough to pay off this class sooner.
If you or someone you know has $2000 lying around that can be given to a good cause, let me know.
I don't like waiting to drop off my application, and I definitely don't like waiting to finish my degree.
Why a second job? Grad school. Even though I only have 3 classes left, I can't take them because I still owe an exorbitant amount for a singular class I took last year. They will not let me move forward until the amount is paid. I'd really love to finish my degree, but it seems like there's always something that gets in my way.
If you're thinking that I make more than enough as a librarian to pay off my class, you don't know many librarians. I'm not in this for the money. I love my job; I love almost everything about it. I just don't make quite enough to pay off this class sooner.
If you or someone you know has $2000 lying around that can be given to a good cause, let me know.
I don't like waiting to drop off my application, and I definitely don't like waiting to finish my degree.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Blog on Blog Action
I got to lead a book talk this week. That is something that I've never done before. What possessed me to do such a thing? Well, it wasn't about a specific book, or even books at all. It was about blogs. I am in a book club with other assistant managers and we traditionally talk about library/management books. It got to the point once where the authors of these books seemed too far removed for practical application. It wasn't all of them; just a couple. This got me thinking about actual application to our jobs and how blogs may be a neat topic to cover for one month. I found that many bloggers are in the profession, and suffer the same workplace ailments that I do; that other library managers do. Often times these bloggers can be related to more easily (you like that proper grammar?). This may be because they seem like real people, or because they talk about issues in the way I talk about them. As I told the group on Thursday, I feel like I do belong to something. It's also comforting to know that, even though my library has some quirks and differences, a lot of libraries operate similarly and deal with the same issues. It's a sort of online camaraderie.
These are some of the blogs that were mentioned:
bossladywrites.com (authored by the brilliantly snarky & adorable @winelibrarian)
Practical Librarian (the nitty gritty on a lot of common library... things)
Genealogy Decoded (obviously for Genealogists, but a plethora of useful information)
In the Library with the Lead Pipe (2012 General Library Blog Winner and a very scholarly in-depth blog)
Annoyed Librarian (though the consensus was that he is markedly less annoyed since Library Journal acquired the blog)
Librarian In Black (hadn't updated in a while, but she's back)
Screwy Decimal (2012 Quirky Blog Winner, and yes, she is that quirky)
Prison Librarian (a great blog that will cause you to really think outside of what you might think a library does, it also gives some amazing, and sometimes sad, statistics)
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette (playing up the sarcasm and relating to their readership by injecting humor, a nice place to take a break from the grind)
Each person chose a different blog, and from those different blogs, we had some great conversation, even if we went off-topic. I wonder if other people out there feel the same way. Books or blogs when budding in a profession...
These are some of the blogs that were mentioned:
bossladywrites.com (authored by the brilliantly snarky & adorable @winelibrarian)
Practical Librarian (the nitty gritty on a lot of common library... things)
Genealogy Decoded (obviously for Genealogists, but a plethora of useful information)
In the Library with the Lead Pipe (2012 General Library Blog Winner and a very scholarly in-depth blog)
Annoyed Librarian (though the consensus was that he is markedly less annoyed since Library Journal acquired the blog)
Librarian In Black (hadn't updated in a while, but she's back)
Screwy Decimal (2012 Quirky Blog Winner, and yes, she is that quirky)
Prison Librarian (a great blog that will cause you to really think outside of what you might think a library does, it also gives some amazing, and sometimes sad, statistics)
A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette (playing up the sarcasm and relating to their readership by injecting humor, a nice place to take a break from the grind)
Each person chose a different blog, and from those different blogs, we had some great conversation, even if we went off-topic. I wonder if other people out there feel the same way. Books or blogs when budding in a profession...
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
MLA Featured Librarian for March!
So, this just went out today in March's MO INFO:
Hey, everybody! I’m Dan and I am the Assistant Branch Manager for the Red Bridge Branch of Mid-Continent Public Library, located in Kansas City, MO. I’ve been with MCPL since 2008, and my job has varied greatly since I started. I started out as a technology trainer for both the public and staff. I’ve been involved with multiple outreach projects. I have also participated in MALA workshops and webcasts. Now, I make sure that things run smoothly at the branch and stand in when the Branch Manager isn’t there. I also make all of the schedules for the branch, and I hire, train, and supervise our pages. I help with the branch’s collection development and budgets while still monitoring daily proce-dures. I’ve also been known to rummage through and play with the puppets. When I’m not at my desk or at the circulation desk, I’m usually out and about in the community raising people’s awareness of the library and everything we have to offer. I strive to change people’s opinion of the library from an after-thought to their first thought.
I am currently working toward my Master’s Degree in Library Science at Emporia State University.
When/Why did you decide that you wanted to be a librarian?
I received my Bachelor’s degree in History from Missouri State University. After that, I decided that I wanted to get into Archives. I love history, and having the opportunity to actually touch it was an excit-ing prospect for me. After looking around at different schools, though, it became apparent that in order to get into Archives, I would almost certainly need a Master’s degree in Library Science, too. As I applied to library schools, I decided to look for jobs in libraries so that I would have experience as well as the education. I never thought of myself as a librarian, but by the end of my second week, I had an epiphany; I just knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I haven’t looked back or thought twice since.
What do you like most about being a librarian and what are the biggest challenges in your job?
My favorite thing about being a librarian is working with the public. I always tell people that we are like superheroes, changing lives, and I really do believe that. Working with the public means that I get to go on information adventures, and I get to see, firsthand, the impact of libraries. I love it when children will come into the library and shout (in a library shout, of course), "You were at my school!" Early on in my library career, I helped a customer pick out some Disney children’s books. At first, I thought that she wanted them for her children. As it turned out, she wanted the books so that
she could learn how to read. It’s great to know that you can make that difference in someone’s life.
I have found that the biggest challenge in my position is managing. It’s weird since that’s what I do, but it requires a lot of juggling. It can be difficult to be the person in between the staff and the branch manager, but having a good team definitely helps.
Tell us about the Center School Summer Outreach Program: How did it start, why do you do it, and what kind of response are you getting?
My branch is located in south Kansas City and serves the Center School District. We visited the elementary schools last May to talk about our Summer Reading Program (SRP) and many of the students were excited. One student raised their hand and asked how they could participate if they couldn’t get to the library. I was fairly new to this environment, so I quickly said that they could ride with a friend. Well, that wasn’t an option either. So, I told them that they can log their minutes online. This, also, wasn’t an option. As it turns out, many families only had one vehicle and most families didn’t have internet access. When those students went home for the summer, they had no way to take part in our SRP. The school librarian brought her concerns to me, and I coordinated the ef-fort to bring our library to them during their 4-week summer school. We brought 600 books to the school, along with laptops for circulation, library card sign-ups, SRP logs, and SRP prizes. We also had a themed display each week to entice students to check out books set on a theme. After the dust had settled and we returned to the branch, 508 books had circulated, 104 students signed up for library cards, and 116 students participated in the Summer Reading Program! This is the kind of thing that I love doing. I saw an opportunity for service, worked with my team, and provided something to those students that they may not have had otherwise. There has been a great response from the kids, parents, and the schools. There’s even another area school that wants us to do the same kind of project with them this year because they are in a similar situation!
If you were to hire a public librarian, what skills and/or qualities would you look for in a candidate?
I think that technology skills are invaluable now. Knowing how to use a computer and get on the internet is one thing, but as librari-ans and information professionals, we need to know how to navigate the sea of endless (and sometimes) useless information. That being said, I find myself on multiple social media sites often. Ideally, I’d be looking for someone who is not afraid to experiment. Trying new and innovative things is a plus, and I think being able to think outside the box is a great quality to possess. I would also look for someone who has a proven track record of working with others. If you’re going to work for me, you’re going to have to have a team mindset.
Why are you involved in the Missouri Library Association?
I first joined MLA because of the potential connections that I could make. I went to my first conference without even being a mem-ber, and it was worth every penny! Now, I am a full-fledged member, and I go because of the ideas and conversation. Swapping battle scars and life-changing stories has really affected me in a positive way, and there’s no way I can replace the friendships I’ve gained through MLA. I’m looking forward to many more conferences (especially 2015 when I will be planning it).
That is taken verbatim from the issue: http://molib.org/moinfo/issues/032013moinfo.pdf
Hey, everybody! I’m Dan and I am the Assistant Branch Manager for the Red Bridge Branch of Mid-Continent Public Library, located in Kansas City, MO. I’ve been with MCPL since 2008, and my job has varied greatly since I started. I started out as a technology trainer for both the public and staff. I’ve been involved with multiple outreach projects. I have also participated in MALA workshops and webcasts. Now, I make sure that things run smoothly at the branch and stand in when the Branch Manager isn’t there. I also make all of the schedules for the branch, and I hire, train, and supervise our pages. I help with the branch’s collection development and budgets while still monitoring daily proce-dures. I’ve also been known to rummage through and play with the puppets. When I’m not at my desk or at the circulation desk, I’m usually out and about in the community raising people’s awareness of the library and everything we have to offer. I strive to change people’s opinion of the library from an after-thought to their first thought.
I am currently working toward my Master’s Degree in Library Science at Emporia State University.
When/Why did you decide that you wanted to be a librarian?
I received my Bachelor’s degree in History from Missouri State University. After that, I decided that I wanted to get into Archives. I love history, and having the opportunity to actually touch it was an excit-ing prospect for me. After looking around at different schools, though, it became apparent that in order to get into Archives, I would almost certainly need a Master’s degree in Library Science, too. As I applied to library schools, I decided to look for jobs in libraries so that I would have experience as well as the education. I never thought of myself as a librarian, but by the end of my second week, I had an epiphany; I just knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I haven’t looked back or thought twice since.
What do you like most about being a librarian and what are the biggest challenges in your job?
My favorite thing about being a librarian is working with the public. I always tell people that we are like superheroes, changing lives, and I really do believe that. Working with the public means that I get to go on information adventures, and I get to see, firsthand, the impact of libraries. I love it when children will come into the library and shout (in a library shout, of course), "You were at my school!" Early on in my library career, I helped a customer pick out some Disney children’s books. At first, I thought that she wanted them for her children. As it turned out, she wanted the books so that
she could learn how to read. It’s great to know that you can make that difference in someone’s life.
I have found that the biggest challenge in my position is managing. It’s weird since that’s what I do, but it requires a lot of juggling. It can be difficult to be the person in between the staff and the branch manager, but having a good team definitely helps.
Tell us about the Center School Summer Outreach Program: How did it start, why do you do it, and what kind of response are you getting?
My branch is located in south Kansas City and serves the Center School District. We visited the elementary schools last May to talk about our Summer Reading Program (SRP) and many of the students were excited. One student raised their hand and asked how they could participate if they couldn’t get to the library. I was fairly new to this environment, so I quickly said that they could ride with a friend. Well, that wasn’t an option either. So, I told them that they can log their minutes online. This, also, wasn’t an option. As it turns out, many families only had one vehicle and most families didn’t have internet access. When those students went home for the summer, they had no way to take part in our SRP. The school librarian brought her concerns to me, and I coordinated the ef-fort to bring our library to them during their 4-week summer school. We brought 600 books to the school, along with laptops for circulation, library card sign-ups, SRP logs, and SRP prizes. We also had a themed display each week to entice students to check out books set on a theme. After the dust had settled and we returned to the branch, 508 books had circulated, 104 students signed up for library cards, and 116 students participated in the Summer Reading Program! This is the kind of thing that I love doing. I saw an opportunity for service, worked with my team, and provided something to those students that they may not have had otherwise. There has been a great response from the kids, parents, and the schools. There’s even another area school that wants us to do the same kind of project with them this year because they are in a similar situation!
If you were to hire a public librarian, what skills and/or qualities would you look for in a candidate?
I think that technology skills are invaluable now. Knowing how to use a computer and get on the internet is one thing, but as librari-ans and information professionals, we need to know how to navigate the sea of endless (and sometimes) useless information. That being said, I find myself on multiple social media sites often. Ideally, I’d be looking for someone who is not afraid to experiment. Trying new and innovative things is a plus, and I think being able to think outside the box is a great quality to possess. I would also look for someone who has a proven track record of working with others. If you’re going to work for me, you’re going to have to have a team mindset.
Why are you involved in the Missouri Library Association?
I first joined MLA because of the potential connections that I could make. I went to my first conference without even being a mem-ber, and it was worth every penny! Now, I am a full-fledged member, and I go because of the ideas and conversation. Swapping battle scars and life-changing stories has really affected me in a positive way, and there’s no way I can replace the friendships I’ve gained through MLA. I’m looking forward to many more conferences (especially 2015 when I will be planning it).
That is taken verbatim from the issue: http://molib.org/moinfo/issues/032013moinfo.pdf
Thursday, December 20, 2012
REAL Outcomes
Numbers alone are not good enough for libraries anymore. Now, we need to justify everything with context and show measurable outcomes of what we do. It's not always easy, but it's necessary in order for libraries to remain funded. These outcomes and context are the kinds of things that I look at when creating projects in the library and around the community. You can read more about one here (before & after), if you haven't already.
Last week, we experimented. We hosted a program that has never been done at the library before. It was called, "Read to Me: The Hobbit." In celebration of the movie being released, we organized an afternoon full of hobbits, elves, dwarves, wolves, etc.. Every 20 minutes or so, different staff members would read part of The Hobbit for all to hear.
Unfortunately, I was unable to see the beginning. However, I did watch the last couple of hours, and I happened to notice a girl sitting against the wall intent on the story. Her mother made the comment that she doesn't read, and so she was shocked to see her actually spend time listening to the story. Making a small impact like this shows that the library is reaching people, that's all the evidence I need.
It gets better, though. Today, this girl and her mother returned. They are regulars at the library, but this time was different. This time, the girl had a book, The Hobbit to be precise. She checked it out because she needed to know how the story ended! Making a deal with her dad to both read the story, she was excited for the book. Then she gave our teen librarian a hug which shows how much she impacts her teens. Actually, all of this was her doing. I just sat back and watched it happen. Librarians--changing lives.
Last week, we experimented. We hosted a program that has never been done at the library before. It was called, "Read to Me: The Hobbit." In celebration of the movie being released, we organized an afternoon full of hobbits, elves, dwarves, wolves, etc.. Every 20 minutes or so, different staff members would read part of The Hobbit for all to hear.
Unfortunately, I was unable to see the beginning. However, I did watch the last couple of hours, and I happened to notice a girl sitting against the wall intent on the story. Her mother made the comment that she doesn't read, and so she was shocked to see her actually spend time listening to the story. Making a small impact like this shows that the library is reaching people, that's all the evidence I need.
It gets better, though. Today, this girl and her mother returned. They are regulars at the library, but this time was different. This time, the girl had a book, The Hobbit to be precise. She checked it out because she needed to know how the story ended! Making a deal with her dad to both read the story, she was excited for the book. Then she gave our teen librarian a hug which shows how much she impacts her teens. Actually, all of this was her doing. I just sat back and watched it happen. Librarians--changing lives.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Ornery Greeks and Deep Thoughts
I've heard people say, "that makes my heart happy," or maybe, "you make my heart smile." In fact, I'm sure that many of my friends use that phrase often. I got to thinking about it the other day... It doesn't even make sense! It's obviously just another example of hyperbole. Then, I went to an area senior center, a new one in fact.
I showed up to talk about the many services that the library can offer the patrons there. I always love doing these things. The coordinator introduced me, and it was all an adventure from that point on.
Coordinator: "We have a special guest today. This young man is from the library and is going to talk about some great services and programs that might be of interest to you all."
Two ladies are walking toward me.
1: "And not a bad looking young man either, hmm?"
2: "Mmm hmmm."
Besides the fact that I may have been sexually harassed, it was incredibly fun. Those ladies (and 1 gentleman) kept me on my toes. They asked great questions, and I think I may have made some new friends! :-P
After most people left, there was a couple sitting at a table. We started talking, and soon I found out they were Greek. They talked about the old country (seriously, the actual old country) and Dale Carnegie while I listened in awe. Before I knew it, we were talking about the origins of our surnames and how our ancestors arrived in America. This ornery Greek couple and I talked for quite a while, and it was exhilarating.
The time came when we all had to leave and go our separate ways, but as I was walking out of the center, I had an overwhelming feeling of warmth and happiness. I thought on it, and that's when I figured it out: they made my heart smile. I was so happy that a smile on my face couldn't have even begun to display my feelings.
Another reason why I do what I do and love it.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Juggling
I've got a lot of balls in the air right now.
I'm designing three training webcasts for MALA/KCMLIN, one of which will be recorded on Monday.
I'm putting the finishing touches on a new staff incentive program at the branch.
I'm working on community partnerships with the YMCA and two new senior centers.
I'm gathering information from senior centers and nursing homes on activities so that we can better serve their needs. If you know me, you know this is code for something, and you probably already know what it's code for.
Oh yeah, I'm looking for a place to move whilst trying to find money to fix my car and pay off school.
Mostly good things, right? I thought that November and December were supposed to be slower months, but it turns out they are crazy busy! Besides all of this extra stuff, I'm still doing schedules and always training on new things and/or changes to existing things. Libraries are in perpetual beta, just like most software now. Thanks, Google.
I'm really excited about a display that just went up. It doesn't even have a genre/author theme! It's a little bit of everything and it's called Hidden Treasures, things that patrons may have missed (probably because it ended up being shelved on the bottom shelf). The display wasn't my idea, and the name wasn't my idea either. Actually, I didn't even put up the display, but I helped make sure it went up.
I'm also excited because I think I cracked through some blog anxiety for a particular staff member. We'll have to see how it plays out.
Shoot, no wonder I'm tired when I get home...
Friday, October 26, 2012
The Things I've Seen...
When I started at Mid-Continent Public Library in 2008, I had no idea what to expect.
By the end of my second week, I realized that I wanted to make libraries my career.
Three years later, I was given the opportunity to move forward with that career when I became an Assistant Branch Manager.
Moving up is great, and I'm sure I will move forward career-wise, but I can't tell you how fortunate I feel to work in libraries because of the "bonus" things I've done. There are so many things that I have experienced that I never would have if I had chosen a different path. I helped with the Wall that Heals in Blue Springs. I was suckered into theatre because of my connections through the library. I joined the chamber of commerce and met some really great people, too. I have experienced three library conferences that just blew me away. Not only did I learn and apply some really neat things, but I also met some great people that I'm sure will be in my life for years to come. I've been in multiple parades and one time I was the book cart drill team leader! I watched a veteran's round table at the Veteran's Salute last weekend and learned about a Vietnam veteran who actually got help for his nightmares. Of course, I've witnessed the impact that libraries have in communities, too. That Summer Outreach Program was incredible, and I smile every time a student comes in and says, "You were at my school!"
Sure, I've had some rough days. It's also been tough to adjust to the whole management thing. Through it all, though, these gems of the library see me through to the next day, and they will keep me going throughout my career.
I feel weird talking about my career. I don't feel like I'm old enough to have an established career, but I also feel like I do have one. I hope I'm not making anyone jealous, but, then again, I hope people are jealous. I'm lucky and selfish about it. :-)
By the end of my second week, I realized that I wanted to make libraries my career.
Three years later, I was given the opportunity to move forward with that career when I became an Assistant Branch Manager.
Moving up is great, and I'm sure I will move forward career-wise, but I can't tell you how fortunate I feel to work in libraries because of the "bonus" things I've done. There are so many things that I have experienced that I never would have if I had chosen a different path. I helped with the Wall that Heals in Blue Springs. I was suckered into theatre because of my connections through the library. I joined the chamber of commerce and met some really great people, too. I have experienced three library conferences that just blew me away. Not only did I learn and apply some really neat things, but I also met some great people that I'm sure will be in my life for years to come. I've been in multiple parades and one time I was the book cart drill team leader! I watched a veteran's round table at the Veteran's Salute last weekend and learned about a Vietnam veteran who actually got help for his nightmares. Of course, I've witnessed the impact that libraries have in communities, too. That Summer Outreach Program was incredible, and I smile every time a student comes in and says, "You were at my school!"
Sure, I've had some rough days. It's also been tough to adjust to the whole management thing. Through it all, though, these gems of the library see me through to the next day, and they will keep me going throughout my career.
I feel weird talking about my career. I don't feel like I'm old enough to have an established career, but I also feel like I do have one. I hope I'm not making anyone jealous, but, then again, I hope people are jealous. I'm lucky and selfish about it. :-)
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Scheduling is a Bitch
Do I have to put a body to this entry? Seriously, it is. I'm trying to do my best to make sure there's coverage at the branch since we're down 2 staff, and it's nearly impossible.
Plus, I'm having to pick up the slack left in the absence. Maybe I'm just having a bad day.
Plus, I'm having to pick up the slack left in the absence. Maybe I'm just having a bad day.
Monday, July 30, 2012
*NOT* a Crooner
Friday was the last day at the branch for one of Red Bridge's longest employees. She was definitely a staple at Red Bridge, and I know that she touched a lot of lives. She wanted me to sing a song for her at her party, since she hadn't seen me perform or sing. I said I would, but honestly had no idea what to sing.
I first thought that I could try a classic crooner song by Frank, Bing, or someone else fancy. Then I realized that I couldn't pull that off. So then I started thinking about newer songs about goodbye and stuff, but most of those songs seemed really sad. Then, I thought about Charlie Brown, like I do a lot. I decided to sing "Happiness Is..." from the musical. As it turned out, it was a very appropriate choice. A song about the little things in life meaning big things was just what she wanted, and what she believed. There's a video somewhere of it too.
The party was great though. A lot of people showed up, and we gave her a personalized scrapbook with blank pages filled with guests' names. Tomorrow is her last day, but I'm sure she will be back.
Tomorrow is also the last day for Diana at the old branch. I went to her party on Friday, too! I guess I was a busy guy. Between the food, gifts, and huggy goodbyes, it was a full day. I don't know when she'll pop in at the branch, though. She's always doing something, so she may not for a while. :-)
Two great children's librarians are retired now... wonder what the future holds?
I first thought that I could try a classic crooner song by Frank, Bing, or someone else fancy. Then I realized that I couldn't pull that off. So then I started thinking about newer songs about goodbye and stuff, but most of those songs seemed really sad. Then, I thought about Charlie Brown, like I do a lot. I decided to sing "Happiness Is..." from the musical. As it turned out, it was a very appropriate choice. A song about the little things in life meaning big things was just what she wanted, and what she believed. There's a video somewhere of it too.
The party was great though. A lot of people showed up, and we gave her a personalized scrapbook with blank pages filled with guests' names. Tomorrow is her last day, but I'm sure she will be back.
Tomorrow is also the last day for Diana at the old branch. I went to her party on Friday, too! I guess I was a busy guy. Between the food, gifts, and huggy goodbyes, it was a full day. I don't know when she'll pop in at the branch, though. She's always doing something, so she may not for a while. :-)
Two great children's librarians are retired now... wonder what the future holds?
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Impact
This year's Summer Reading Program is a departure from previous years. Instead of evaluating success by the number of library books checked out and read, MCPL switched to a less restricting format: children and teens can read books from anywhere, not just the library. This shift is important because the aim of SRP should never be circulation boosts; it should be improved literacy.
Improved literacy is not exactly easy to measure. It's not a quantitative factor; it's qualitative. In this way, it is harder to measure the success of an outreach program, our recent outreach program to the area school district. I did anyway.
The numbers are in, and it was an overwhelming success! We signed up 104 students for library cards. 116 kids signed up for Summer Reading. 111 SRP prizes were awarded. And just because we brought the library to their school, I counted the books circulated too: 508.
You know the best part? The real way that I measured success? Without us, these kids may not have had this opportunity to read or win prizes. Plus, it's pretty cool when students recognize me at the library and tell me about the book they're reading.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning. Not bad for a month's work!
Improved literacy is not exactly easy to measure. It's not a quantitative factor; it's qualitative. In this way, it is harder to measure the success of an outreach program, our recent outreach program to the area school district. I did anyway.
The numbers are in, and it was an overwhelming success! We signed up 104 students for library cards. 116 kids signed up for Summer Reading. 111 SRP prizes were awarded. And just because we brought the library to their school, I counted the books circulated too: 508.
You know the best part? The real way that I measured success? Without us, these kids may not have had this opportunity to read or win prizes. Plus, it's pretty cool when students recognize me at the library and tell me about the book they're reading.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning. Not bad for a month's work!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Culture Shock
Last week, the YMCA kids came back to the library. Since we had such success with the crime scene program, we decided to go with an impromptu style program for their culture theme.
Unfortunately, this time we had no planning time. So, what did we do?
1. We introduced the kids to language. We taught them how to say "Hello" in 20 languages! Countries were on cards, and one of us said the greeting. The kids who matched the country to the greeting got a frisbee.
2. We explained how the same word can mean something different in a different country. On a handout, we listed American English words and British English words; the kids had to match them.
3. Moving on to other countries, I gave out clues to 10 different countries that were progressively more specific, working from what continent or climate it was to something very specific to that country.
4. Finally, we had the kids put the world together by using cutouts. I know that you might be thinking that the older kids were bored, but they were actually really into it!
When all was said and done, we had successfully hosted another impromptu program that entertained the kids. The best part is that they learned without even realizing it. A parent talked to me afterwards and said that they asked what their daughter learned. "Nothing" was her response, but sure enough she was excited later on when she could tell her parents how Cambodians say "Hi!"
All of this was planned in roughly 24 hours, and I definitely could not have done it without the people at Red Bridge. Cheers to sneaky learning!
Unfortunately, this time we had no planning time. So, what did we do?
1. We introduced the kids to language. We taught them how to say "Hello" in 20 languages! Countries were on cards, and one of us said the greeting. The kids who matched the country to the greeting got a frisbee.
2. We explained how the same word can mean something different in a different country. On a handout, we listed American English words and British English words; the kids had to match them.
3. Moving on to other countries, I gave out clues to 10 different countries that were progressively more specific, working from what continent or climate it was to something very specific to that country.
4. Finally, we had the kids put the world together by using cutouts. I know that you might be thinking that the older kids were bored, but they were actually really into it!
When all was said and done, we had successfully hosted another impromptu program that entertained the kids. The best part is that they learned without even realizing it. A parent talked to me afterwards and said that they asked what their daughter learned. "Nothing" was her response, but sure enough she was excited later on when she could tell her parents how Cambodians say "Hi!"
All of this was planned in roughly 24 hours, and I definitely could not have done it without the people at Red Bridge. Cheers to sneaky learning!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Mission Y-Possible
June is a crazy month at the library. Besides the Summer Reading Program, there is also an inundation of people coming into the library for other programs.
One such group of people is the YMCA kids. They have a summer camp that lasts throughout most of the summer, and each week they have a theme. Before Summer started, their leader came in and spoke to me about their future visits so that we would have books out for them and be prepared in general.
Well, they came in on Thursday, and we took it a step further. For 35 kids, we designed a criminal observation program. We asked the kids to use their keen skills of observation to find 3 pieces of concrete evidence in order to bring the culprit to justice.
I got to wreck the page area, and then we left behind a fingerprint, a shoeprint, and a message written in code. After fingerprinting themselves and identifying what types of prints they had, they had to match the fingerprint to the prints of four suspects. They also had a copy of four shoeprints which they had to match to the one at the crime scene. Finally, they had to decipher a code to figure out what the secret message said. We planned on making the clues easy, but as it turned out, they were way too easy. Every kid was able to figure out who committed the crime, and they all had fun doing it. As I'm not well versed in programming, I ended up deferring to the more experienced staff at the library. At the end, I got to clean up the page area, and the kids got to keep a copy of their fingerprints. All in all, it was another big success!
They'll be back in two weeks for Culture Shock! I haven't figured out what to do then yet.
One such group of people is the YMCA kids. They have a summer camp that lasts throughout most of the summer, and each week they have a theme. Before Summer started, their leader came in and spoke to me about their future visits so that we would have books out for them and be prepared in general.
Well, they came in on Thursday, and we took it a step further. For 35 kids, we designed a criminal observation program. We asked the kids to use their keen skills of observation to find 3 pieces of concrete evidence in order to bring the culprit to justice.
I got to wreck the page area, and then we left behind a fingerprint, a shoeprint, and a message written in code. After fingerprinting themselves and identifying what types of prints they had, they had to match the fingerprint to the prints of four suspects. They also had a copy of four shoeprints which they had to match to the one at the crime scene. Finally, they had to decipher a code to figure out what the secret message said. We planned on making the clues easy, but as it turned out, they were way too easy. Every kid was able to figure out who committed the crime, and they all had fun doing it. As I'm not well versed in programming, I ended up deferring to the more experienced staff at the library. At the end, I got to clean up the page area, and the kids got to keep a copy of their fingerprints. All in all, it was another big success!
They'll be back in two weeks for Culture Shock! I haven't figured out what to do then yet.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
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:
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...
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