Published bi-weekly by
Read to Me, a service of the Idaho Commission for Libraries
In this Issue:
Welcome
Welcome back to all our school librarian friends and to those of you who are recovering from summer reading who may not have had a chance to read The Scoop this summer. We archive all the past issues at http://libraries.idaho.gov/the-scoop and there were some great articles on Book Index Review (it's not Novelist, but it's not too bad!), profiles, and other good stuff, so feel free to browse through the summer issues if you get a chance.
Peggy and I will be on the road next week at the three "Storytimes Transformed" workshops. We hope to see you there or at other LiLI training sessions, the upcoming LiLI e-audiobook workshops, e-branch trainings or the annual Idaho Library Association Conference. Sounds like it's back to school time for all of us!
Meet Sherrilynn Bair
Sherrilynn Bair is the director of the Snake River School Community Library, a position she has held for a little over a year. The Snake River School Community Library is unique because of the school community partnership. There are only three school/community partnerships in the state. Sherrilynn says it's interesting and challenging to serve both the school and community populations. She works with patrons from babies to senior citizens and everything in between. The library has a lapsit story time for babies and their Let's Talk About It group has been active for about 15 years, thanks to many senior citizens. The library does 4 sessions of story time per week and did a short program of baby storytimes earlier this year. Teachers regularly bring their classes to the library and the staff provides training in LILI as well as general research assistance. Summer reading is always a big hit at the library with approximately 400 students reading for prizes and participating in exciting activities.
When asked what attracted her to library service for children / youth, Sherrilynn answered, "The previous director started an amazing story time that focuses on early literacy skills. We have about 100 kids attend each week. We have a certified teacher organize and present the story times. Watching kids be excited about reading and books is my favorite part of being a library director. It's a lot of fun."
Sherrilynn is currently involved with a number of projects at her library. "We just added wireless for patrons and I'm adding more public access computers so patrons can download books from Netlibrary. Digital audio books that can be downloaded to MP3 players are a fast growing part of the library. I'm also working on automating filtering software to provide adequate filtering to comply with school requirements while allowing open access for the public. Making the collection available online is also a priority. WEbcollection plus was up and running until the filtering software was installed, there is apparently a conflict that I'm working to resolve. Summer Reading is always a big undertaking too."
Sherrilynn's favorite thing about her job is seeing people become excited about books. Whether it's a three year old who wants more dinosaur books or an adult looking for another great author to read, she loves helping people. She also likes bringing new technology to library patrons. "Libraries have to be progressive to meet patron's needs and interests," Sherrilynn says.
Sherrilynn has difficulty naming just one favorite children's book because she has so many favorites. She really loves Cynthia Rylant's Missing May and also refers students to Christopher Paul Curtis books often. She has fond memories of Where the Red Fern Grows, Harriet the Spy, and The War with Grandpa, which she read as a child. She also loved Nancy Drew and was sure she'd grow up to be a detective.
As for current reading, she just finished Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult, and says, "She's writes great surprise endings. Twilight and New Moon by Stephanie Meyers were fun to read. I'm currently reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. It's a bit of a departure from my typical choices, but I think it's important to diversify my reading so I can recommend books to a wider audience."
When asked about ice cream, Sherrilynn confessed, "I'm not a huge ice cream fan, but I love anything with chocolate, caramel and nuts." When not working at the library, you'll find Sherrilynn reading, of course. She also likes to quilt, camp, and spend time with her family. She also loves to eat out and is always looking for another great restaurant.
Library to Library
Making Plans for Teen Read Week
Jeanne Farnworth, Youth Services Librarian at the Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck has big plans for this year's Teen Read Week. "This year we are planning to have lots of fun during Teen Read Week. We will have different contests (Phunny Photography, Amusing Art, Funny Facts Trivia, Book Title Poetry), a young Adult Art Event (Tie Dye), a Fitness is Fun event, a Pizza and Pages Party where we discuss our favorite funny books and a funny YA movie." Sounds like fun! Share your plans with The Scoop and get a free book!
Let them read
Don’t restrict high school students’ access to these books. That’s what a committee in northern Idaho that reviews school library books recently recommend to the Coeur d’Alene School Board. The two books are Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Some parents say the books are too violent, and want students to get parental permission before being allowed to check them out. But the committee says the content of the books is appropriate for high school age readers. (Associated Press)
Young Adult Corner
[Editor's Note: The following article is by Tina Cherry (pictured at left). Tina is the Teen Programmer at Jerome Public Library.]
A Teen Friendly Library
Library kids come in all ages and sizes. There’s the lap-sit bunch, who come with parents – indeed, they couldn’t come without them. The same is true for the storytime crowd. But when our young customers reach a certain age, they make the choice to come on their own, or not. To make the library their third place, or not. There are teens in my library, a lot of them, whose parents never brought them to the public library. They’re here every day after school because they discovered that the library is their friends’ third place. There are other teens who come in only to use the computers – the digital natives who live the digital life. When people get to middle school and high school age and come en masse to a traditionally sedate place, there will be some tension. Rather than wishing them away (or worse, turning them off to libraries by sending them away,) libraries can meet them half way. Here are some ideas that I’ve picked up from my years of reading about and serving teens in the library:
Start with the soul of the library – staff. Teens may be the size of adults, but their brain development tells another story. Read and share with staff (because we all serve teens) the transcript from the Frontline feature, Inside the Teenage Brain -- found at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/etc/script.html. Each time you feel like they must be from a different planet, reread. They are not really young adults, though we call them that, and sometimes they can act like it. At other times they’re more like very large toddlers in the sandbox. Swallow. Breathe. Smile. Try to get staff to see what an exciting time of life they’re witnessing, and maybe influencing.
Identify Us vs. Them attitudes, signs, and policies – then repair. Are there rules, written or unwritten, that target only teens? Are there signs meant primarily for teens that have anything but positive language? After taking a candid look at your library, set out to creatively change any bits of your culture that can be altered in order to make teens feel welcome without unnecessarily alienating other age groups. Customers who like a quiet and sedate library have reported that they choose another time to come rather than after school. That’s great! I love that our community can see that there’s room—and time—for all at the library. Our library does get a bit noisy after school, but then it also gets noisy after a busy storytime or large meeting in the conference room. We’ll live through it, and we’ll thank these future taxpayers for supporting the library they know and love.
If you build it, they will come. Our library, thanks to a large bequest, was remodeled and enlarged recently. A teen space was in the plans! All libraries can find at least a little space for teens to get comfy. Before our remodel, our YAC (Youth Advisory Committee) made a case for moving several large plants and carving out a spot for themselves and other teens. The director and trustees agreed to give it a try, and the Youth Experimental Lounge Laboratory (YELL) was born. The YAC furnished it themselves by seeking donations (things, not money.) To our surprise, people of all ages used and enjoyed the space, even though it looked a bit like Eric’s basement on That 70s Show.
Get them on your side. TAB or YAC members can have an influence on other teens’ behavior in the library, especially if the group had a hand in design, accoutrements, materials, etc. It’s theirs. They don’t want to see it trashed or disrespected, and they’ll let other teens know. Humor can help too. For example, when teens start playing in the booths like those toddlers in the sandbox, I’ll tell them that they need to be careful, because we have to keep those booths in good condition for their children. Just the thought that they might ever have teens of their own makes them stop, blushing and giggling. Humor, rather than a “no” statement is not so likely to get a sullen response, and way more likely to get compliance. Immediate, easy ways to get them to care: meet them at the front door after school. Smile. Ask about their day. Ask to be their MySpace friend. Give them your librarian trading card. Offer to hold their skateboards/drinks/snacks in a safe place for them.
Remember those teens whose parents never took them to the library? A good number of them now hold their own library cards and willingly (or not!) suffer my individualized booktalks. That, along with their involvement, looks like a library 2.0 success to me.
Notes: Photo of the rules @ Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County creative commons attribution-noncommercial-share alike. Michael Stephens photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/206605150/in/set-72157594224183533/
Book Look
Anna Warns, one of the youth services staff at Ada Community Library, sent in these book recommendations:
Lorem Her Majesty’s Dog Vol. 1, by Mick Takeuchi. This fun, addicting shojo manga follows Amane and Hyoue. She’s the awkward, naïve new girl; he’s the hottest new transfer student in school and…they’re together? Their relationship is more than meets the eye though. Amane is actually a powerful psychic and Hyoue is her demon dog guardian. Read the whole series for plenty of laughs, drama, angst, and adventure.
Tantalize, by Cynthia Leitich. What's the recipe for this great read? Throw in three parts vampire, two parts were-creature, one part murder mystery, a pinch of romance, a dash of angst and you've got one tasty book!
Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr. Aislinn sees things she wishes she didn’t: faeries. She’s spent her entire life trying stay out of their way and under their radar but somehow she’s captured their interest. Keenan the Faery Summer King has searched for nine centuries for his Queen, the one who will unlock the full extent of his powers and help him combat the Winter Queen and her encroaching cold. Keenan has set his sights on Aislinn, but with his interest comes great danger. Not only is she now the target of his enemies, she must make the toughest decision of her life. No matter what happens though Aislinn will lose her life, or at least her humanity.
Penny Arcade 4: Birds are Weird, by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. This newest volume collects all of the Penny Arcade webcomics published in 2003. One of the most popular webcomics ever, Penny Arcade is filled with hilarious gamer jokes and commentary. The previous three volumes are also pretty swell.
Upcoming Events in October
Looking ahead, save these dates:
National Book Month – The National Book Foundation seeks to raise the cultural appreciation of great writing in America. Through The National Book Awards -- the nation's preeminent literary prize -- the Foundation recognizes books of exceptional merit written by Americans. Through its unique outreach programs featuring National Book Award authors, communities participate in the writing life of the nation by reading and writing together. To find out more, check at: www.nationalbook.org/nbm.html
National Book Festival - The National Book Festival is an annual celebration of books and the joy of reading. The 2007 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Idaho Commission for Libraries staff Pamela Bradshaw and Marj Hooper will be representing Idaho there. For more go to http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/
October 5-7 - National Storytelling Festival. The International Storytelling Center inspires and empowers people around the world to capture and tell their stories, listen to the stories of others, and use storytelling to produce positive change. Read more about this festival at: www.storytellingcenter.com/festival/festival.htm
October 14-20 - Teen Read Week. This year’s theme, "LOL @ your library®." Teen Read Week(TM) is the national adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association. This year’s theme encourages teens to read humorous books and graphic novels just 'for the fun of it'. Find out more at: http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teenreading/teenreading.htm
October 15 – International White Cane Safety Day. The familiar white cane with a red band at the bottom is used by blind and visually impaired persons in many countries.
Read more about White Cane Day, designated as a day to increase public awareness of individuals who are blind and allowing those with visual impairment to show their independence at http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_services_whitecane.shtml .
October 16 - Dictionary Day. This birthday of Noah Webster (often called the father of the American dictionary) is a celebration of an essential educational tool. Find lesson plans and activities about the life or Noah Webster, online dictionary tools, and building dictionary skills at: www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson027.shtml
Some additional observances in October are: Children’s Magazine Month, Head Start Awareness Month (http://www.nhsa.org/announcements/announce_awarenes.htm ), Health Literacy Month and National Reading Group Month (http://www.readinggroupchoices.com/onthebookcase/index.cfm).
Authors' Birthdays:
October 8 - R.L. Stine (born in 1943). Robert Lawrence Stine was born on a pig farm outside Columbus, Ohio. His first word was "oink." R.L. Stine says he has a great job. "My job is to make kids laugh and give them the CREEPS!" He is best known for his Goosebumps series which began in 1992. The book series quickly became a hit around the world. Translated into 32 different languages, it made R.L. a worldwide publishing celebrity. The Goosebumps TV show was the number-one kids' show in the U.S. for three years in a row. For more on Stine go to http://www.rlstine.com/home.php or www.scholastic.com/goosebumps
October 26 – Steven Kellogg (born in 1941). Kellogg grew up drawing animals and birds. All of his spare time was spend drawing from real life or illustrations in books. In 1967 Steven's first book appeared and now he has more than one hundred to his credit of which more than thirty were written by him. Humor is evident in most of his works, especially in the delightful tall tales such as Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Mike Fink, Johnny Appleseed, and Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett. For more see http://www.stevenkellogg.com/.
October 31 - Katherine Paterson (born in 1932). Paterson is an award-winning American author of books for children. Her first novel was written while taking an adult education course in creative writing. Some of her works include: Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, Lyddie and many more. You can read about the author at: www.terabithia.com.
Summer Reading News
Idaho Librarians Share Summer Reading Success Stories
Idaho librarians have a lot to say about their 2007 summer reading programs. It's not too late to submit your report online even though the deadline has passed. If we haven't heard from you, you may be receiving a reminder email or phone call. About 60% of the reporting libraries saw an increase in participation, and we want to share with Scoop readers some of the ways librarians have reached more children.
Stephanie Adamson, Aberdeen Public Library - Because of our limited funds we watch for ways to get incentives for the kids from outside the library. We had not previously paired up with the school and the incentives helped us reach outside our comfort zone to make that connection. The same was true for the Read for Your Library. The website was definitely something new with e-branch and doing everything ourselves. But goodies again pushed us out of our comfort zone and we found it wasn't too difficult.
Linda Henderson, Jerome Public Library - First Lady Lori Otter gave a great presentation on the importance of reading as well as read a book at our first program. She really impressed our children and parents. We had our programs outdoors because of the size of the attendance. I think this was beneficial because many mothers are concerned with their babies or toddlers being disruptive; however, being outdoors they had more freedom of movement and sound. I think our staff acting as a team, helped also. I asked each member of our staff to read a book at one of the programs and everyone did. The Head Start group attended every one of our programs. They also made sure that their children completed the program with reading times turned in.
Linda Rassmussen, Grace District Library - The schools displayed posters,(they loved Ike LaRue), allowed classroom visits, and both librarians presented a program for the summer reading. Time has been allowed for certificates to be presented and books to be taken to the school this fall. Our schools are great to work with. Scheduling staff at the library to allow for school visits was the most difficult thing we had to deal with. It was great to have the librarians present programs and the kids were excited to see their familiar faces. They also like the recognition in the fall when the certificates are presented at a school assembly.
Sandy Burnett, Rathdrum Community Library - At registration, each child was given a map and clues of which city departments and businesses to visit in our community. The designated places gave a special 'treasure', a tour and offered words of encouragement to every young reader. The parents commented how much they enjoyed getting better acquainted with our community. We invited the police and fire departments to join us at the park with our summer readers. It was great fun watching them participate in our park games. The children benefited from getting acquainted with our 'community helpers'.
Cathy Ensley, Moscow Public Library - We went all out and spent a lot of money on paid professional entertainment. Betsy's daycare (outreach) signups were 100 kids higher. (More kids in outreach.) I promoted to 4th and 5th graders in addition to 1st and 2nd graders. The third graders from one school made a field trip to the library and I promoted SR to them here. Our school district has a new librarian, who allowed me to do more SR promotion. Next year, she plans to let me promote to all kids, grades 1-5. Betsy promoted to the charter school, all grades in one assembly. In years past, teachers would sometimes schedule field trips on days I was scheduled to promote SR to their students. This hasn't happened lately; I think the teachers are now all on board as to the importance of SR for their students.
Dawn Kindberg, Nampa Public Library - Members of our library board volunteered during the kick-off party & carnival; also had a media day with both Nampa & Caldwell mayors to promote "Passport to Adventure...Explore Canyon County" program that also highlights our summer programs. I know for fact that many of the kids/parents I talked to during outreach had not visited the library before and a few did come down and continued through the summer. It is really a staffing issue with us! We hit as many schools/organizations as we can schedule. Having the books to give away did help the underserved organizations find time to have us come out! At least 2 of the 3 have already expressed an interest in doing it again next year!
Jeanne Farnworth, Portneuf District Library, Chubbuck - Daycare children and children living on the Ft. Hall Reservation were a huge portion of our summer reading program statistics. We could use more resources that would help these children (more incentives for them, ideas on outreach programs).
Suzanne Davis, East Bonner Co. District Library, Sandpoint - The giveaways for school visits meant that children showed up to register because they remembered the program.
Kim Kilson, Burley Public Library - We had several factors that increased the participation. One of the key factors was the partnerships that we formed in our underserved children programs. With all entities advertising and promoting the program, our community was made very aware of the program. We also feel another factor that contributed was the heavy promotion that we did within the schools. The incentives that were sent out for school visits were fantastic and the kids loved them. They helped generate the excitement of our program. With the resources that the Idaho Commission for Libraries provided, we were able to deliver a quality program to the children.
Michelle Barnes, Priest Lake Public Library - We advertised at more locations this year and hired a new person at the library who has strong roots here in the community and has children attending the local elementary school. She worked very hard talking with parents and encouraging families to sign up. We had several families attend who had never been to the library before! It was a great year.
Sharon Kae Kimber, DeMary Memorial Library - School visits have always seemed like a great way to advertize the summer reading program. Plus I've been working on getting a web site up the over a year previous to the time the Idaho Commission for Libraries brought us e-branch in a box. Thank you for that service. It was so fun to have the videos on it.
Debbie DePaola, Lava Hot Springs Branch, So. Bannock Co. District Library- The Lava Library had a "real mystery" during week 4 of the program. We had a 6 piece puzzle that we gave the children -- 1 piece each week to encourage them to come in each week to collect the 6 pieces and win a prize. Week 4 puzzle pieces (all 70) disappeared. We looked everywhere for them. We decided that we would make more of week 4 puzzle pieces. As we were cutting them out, a staff member picked up a grocery bag to give the daycare children their week 4 items, and, low and behold, in the bottom of this bag were all 70 puzzle pieces! The children thought this was great fun! They kept asking us for clues of where we saw them last, etc.
School Zone
Most Idaho students are reading at grade level
Scores from the Spring 2007 Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) continue to show the majority of Idaho students are reading at grade level in the early years.
“The good news is the Spring 2007 IRI scores show most of Idaho’s students are reading at or above grade level. However, our goal must be to get every student reading at grade level, and I am concerned that one-third of our third-grade students have still not reached that goal,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna stated in a media release. “I will be working with teachers and school administrators in the coming months to see what further assistance they need so we can bring more of Idaho’s students up to grade level in reading.”
The IRI measures students’ reading skills in kindergarten through third grade and helps teachers quickly identify students who are struggling in reading so they can provide them with the remediation necessary to bring them up to grade level. The test is conducted three times a year. The Legislature allocates $2.8 million a year for the Idaho Reading Initiative, which includes more than $1 million to provide additional assistance for students who struggle.
Superintendent Luna noted the high score among kindergarten students across the state – 80 percent of kindergarten students scored at grade level – and applauded the dedicated parents in Idaho for getting their students ready for kindergarten.
“I’d also like to acknowledge the hard work teachers do every day in the classroom to help our students succeed,” Superintendent Luna said. “Reading is the cornerstone of all learning, and we know if students are not reading at grade level by the time they leave third grade, seven out of eight of them will never catch up despite our best efforts.”
In June, the State Board of Education approved a new IRI exam and new IRI vendor for the 2007-2008 school year after the exam was piloted in Idaho schools last year. An IRI steering committee, made up of Department officials, teachers, testing coordinators, principals and reading specialists, recommended adopting the new IRI. The new IRI reflects more current research in reading education and will help teachers better measure students’ growth throughout the year.
Here are the statewide Spring 2007 IRI results:
Grade % of students reading at grade level
Kindergarten 80 percent
1st grade 71 percent
2nd grade 71 percent
3rd grade 66 percent
For more information about IRI scores across the state, visit http://www.sde.idaho.gov/ipd/iri/IriAnalysis.asp.
Last chance to get funding assistance to attend AASL in Reno
If you’re interested in attending the AASL Conference in Reno October 25-28, 2007 and have never attended a national AASL Conference, consider applying for a First-Time Attendance at Library Conference Grant. LSTA grants are available to help cover the amount of conference registration, airfare or mileage, and lodging, up to the maximum of $900. Get all the National Conference details at www.ala.org/aasl/reno<http://www.ala.org/aasl/reno>
Libraries may make application throughout the year on a special form found at http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/2007CE1stTimeAttend0516Shud.pdf. The completed application must be received by the Idaho Commission for Libraries by September 14 for this conference. If you have questions or for more information, contact CE Consultant Charles Bolles (charles.bolles@libraries.idaho.gov or 1-800-458-3271 toll-free) or Grants Administrator Sonja Hudson at the Idaho Commission for Libraries.
Would you like to write some "School News" articles and get paid for them? It's a great resume-builder, you'd be sharing information with over 400 Idaho librarians, and it's kind of fun! Contact Stephanie at the Commission for more details.
Know the Numbers
Parents report read aloud habits
Whether parents said they read to children in the past week seemed to rise with educational attainment, income, and in two-parent homes. For instance, 23 percent of children whose parents didn't finish high school were never read to, compared to 4 percent of kids of parents with advanced degrees, according to information gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau in "A Child's Day: 2003," a survey of nearly 10,000 moms or dads regarding more than 18,000 children.
The report only lists national numbers, not state breakdowns, and information was reported by parents, often within a short time frame of "within the past week." Comparisons are "significant at the 90 percent confidence level."
According to the report, "the percentage of Hispanic children who had not been read to in the past week ... was four times higher than the proportion of non-Hispanic white children."
But it's tough to draw conclusions based on a survey where the question is narrowed to the span of a week instead of a longtime trend, said Andrea Rorrer, University of Utah assistant professor in educational leadership and policy and director of the Utah Education Policy Center. Basically, it doesn't mean kids weren't being read to, she said. Maybe someone other than the parent interviewed read to the child. Or, maybe the family had been on vacation the previous week, and reading wasn't the first thing on their minds.
By Jennifer Toomer-Cook Deseret Morning News, http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1,1249,660192587,00.html
A Closer Look at Updating your Library
Does your school or public library need a full-out makeover or just a few adjustments to update its look and feel? Would you like to see your circulation increase (dramatically)? Do you want to create a more welcoming environment? If you're ready to make some changes, we've got a deal for you. The Idaho Commission for Libraries is sponsoring “Trading Spaces: How to Transform a Library Like Yours with the Money You Have Right Now,” presented by Mount Laurel Library Director Joan Bernstein and Kathy Schalk-Greene, Assistant Director and Trading Spaces Project Manager. This pre-conference is free of charge and box lunch is included.
Eighty million dollar libraries are great but most of us don’t have one. Mount Laurel Library used merchandising techniques to transform a typical library into a customer-centered environment with pizzazz and changed the staff culture in the process. Their customers love it and so will you. Participants will learn how to improve library services using their existing space and budget.
At the end of the workshop participants will be able to:
• Apply a variety of affordable retail displays and practices in their library
• Transform areas within a library using retail techniques
• Create or modify policies to encourage use of library collections
• Design and conduct staff walk-throughs to see the library through the eyes of customers
• Describe how the Mount Laurel Library increased use, customer satisfaction and changed staff culture using retail merchandising techniques
For more information, see the project website at www.sjrlc.org/tradingspaces. To register for the free preconference, go to www.idaholibraries.org/. You don't need to attend the Idaho Library Association Conference to attend the preconference. The sooner you register the better your chance of getting in.
ICFL staff members Stephanie Bailey-White and Erin McCusker attended several sessions on utilizing retailing methods at the last Public Library Association (PLA) Conference and we're so excited about the possibilities that we wanted to bring all the speakers back to Idaho. "This is really a great opportunity to get some new ideas and make some positives changes," Stephanie said. I hope we fill up the 50 slots with public and school librarians who are open to some new ideas."
Joy Lear, Manager of the Star Branch Library, said she attended the presentation at PLA Boston last year. "It inspired all the changes we have made at Star this year! We've done slatwall displays in the children’s area and moved our picture books to better advantage, created a new adult book display, and then completely remodeled the teen area. It was fantastic!"
Please contact Stephanie or Erin at the Commission if you have any questions.
Tips & Tools
New 
Books!
The Idaho Commission for Libraries Professional Development Service (PDS) provides access to numerous titles in the field of library and information sciences. Free shipping to and from your library is provided! See http://libraries.idaho.gov/pds for more information. The following are a few of the recent additions.
Crash Course in Children’s Services, by Penny Peck, Libraries Unlimited, 2006. Even in small rural libraries managed by small staffs, children’s services are critical. This handbook gives practical advice on performing essential duties in the Children’s Room of the public library. The tone is “how to” with little theory, as the book provides a simple overview of child development and the fundamentals of day-to-day services. [ICFL 027.62 PECK]
Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum, by Gerald M. Nosich, Pearson, 2005. This book was written to help students engage in critical thinking within the discipline or subject matter they are studying. In addition, students will better appreciate the power of the discipline they are studying, see its connections to other fields and to their day-to-day lives, maintain an overview of the field so they can see the parts in terms of the whole, and become active learners rather than passive recipients. [ICFL 371.3 NOSICH]
Leadership Basics for Librarians and Information Professionals, by G. Edard Evans and Patricia Layzell Ward, Scarecrow Press, 2007. This book is a solid starting point for young librarians and information professionals wanting to get ahead of the competition and a helpful reminder for seasoned leaders need a bit of inspiration. [ICFL 020 EVANS]
Information Literacy Assessment: Standards-Based Tools and Assignments, by Teresa Y. Neely, ALA, 2006. Are students mastering information literacy skills? ACRL’s standards for information literacy provide a solid foundation to help faculty and librarians establish the context for learning. Offering a variety of assignments and assessment tools for those charged with achieving these learning outcomes, the author shares best practice and actual sample assessments from a broad range of institutions. [ICFL 025.56 NEELY]
Educator’s Guide to Information Literacy: What Every High School Senior Needs to Know, by Ann Marlow Riedling, Libraries Unlimited, 2007. Serving as a text/resource book for teachers of high school students, this title provides practical help in preparing students to be active lifelong learners and efficient seekers and users of information. [ICFL 025.56 RIEDLIN]
News Beyond Idaho
Great Ideas for Enriching After School Time
We have a great program called "The 6-11 Club." Six- to 11-year-olds meet the second Monday of each month from 4-5 p.m. for snacks, crafts, games, movies and more—all tied to the theme of the day. Themes include "The Olympics", "Kites and Other Fun Paper Crafts” and “Earth Day." For "The Olympics," kids performed a variety of feats, including completing an obstacle course and seeing how many times you could bop a balloon in the air without it touching the ground. It's been easy to sell and turnout has been good. As part of the event, kids created a mural, which served as additional in-house promotion. For the Olympics, everyone drew their favorite sport and, at the end, attached their nametags to the mural.
—Shawn Personke, Community Relations & Development Coordinator, Chelsea (Mich.) District Library, spersonke@chelsea.lib.mi.us
We have an afterschool program on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30. Activities include game shows, talent shows, bingo nights and special programs like a tea party for girls or a miniature farm toys show for boys. We break it up for K-2nd grade and 3-6th grades and have around 25 kids at each session. We have NO activity room. We hold the programs at the back of the juvenile room. School buses drop kids off. We distribute flyers to teachers to help publicize the program. We also have various contests or guessing games with small prizes to help attract kids.
—Sue Schaffner, Director, Normal Memorial Library, Fayette, Ohio, schaffsu@oplin.org
We gave an afterschool program for 1st-6th graders similar to homework help. Called Book Buddies, it pairs an older kid with a younger one. They alternate reading, reading games, listening to books on tape and book art. For each 15-minute activity, they earn a star in their Book Buddies booklet. Every time they earn 15 stars, they win a prize. The program is about 1/3 homeschoolers, 1/3 middle-class kids, and 1/3 poor neighborhood kids. It meets from 3:30-4:30 on Tuesday and Wednesday from late January to mid-May with an average turnout of 10 kids each session.
We actively solicit visits from schools. Our presentation includes tips on using the library, a scavenger hunt and “Library Jeopardy.” Kids choose from various categories—Children's Literature, Spine Labels, Library Procedures—and get very involved in the game. Finally, they check out a book and go back to school.
—David Moorhead, Children’s Librarian, Lewiston (Maine) Public Library, dmoorhead@ci.lewiston.me.us
Our Homework Club has been a great way to get to know children and parents. It was promoted through schools and opened to grades 1st through 6th. Parents must come to the library to register their kids. There is a core group that comes to every meeting. These kids now attend other programs on weekends and bring their friends. We have volunteer tutors from the community and from a local school tutoring program. I also tutor many of the children. It is a fun and great way to get to know children and parents.
—Jennifer Pickle, Children’s Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Penn.), Homewood Branch, picklej@carnegielibrary.org
Ideas from ALSC's Kids @ Your Library campaign, http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/GoodIdeas.htm
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