2019-03-08 SPLAT Curiosity Report: Volume 2, Issue 10
Featured Story
Apply for the Idaho Libraries’ Futures Camp
We were lacking a main article for this final issue of this second volume of The Curiosity Report (stay tuned for the third volume starting March 22), so instead of the insightful take you usually get from a SPLAT member, you get me, your editor, with another plug for the Idaho Libraries’ Futures Camp! But before you tune me out, at least go read the Fail Forward and Crush Corner because I promise those were actually written by honest-to-goodness SPLAT members. (And don’t forget that you can submit you own Fail Forwards and Crush Corners too!)
Back in the yesteryear of August 2005, less than a year into my first full-time library job, I attended the Idaho State Library’s (yeah, this was before they became the Commission) “2020 Vision: Idaho Libraries’ Futures Conference.” I remember it being pretty daunting to a newcomer like myself (not to mention, I think I was the youngest and least library-experienced there by quite a bit!). But what an incredible experience it was! There were inspiring guest speakers (Joe Janes, Glen Heimstra, Bruce Sterling, just to name a few) and informative panels (again, those teenagers weren’t that much younger than me!). But mostly I remember the sense of excitement, energy, and purpose from my fellow attendees, representing libraries of different sizes and types from across the state.
SPLAT was itself birthed from an idea developed at that Futures Conference, which I was a founding member of. And how does history love to repeat itself? Here I am as a part of SPLAT again and, since I got hired at the Commission a little over two years ago, I’ve been dreaming of a new Idaho Libraries’ Futures Conference (because 2020 really is nearly on top of us now) as something to inspire us and ignite us, keeping the torch of our noble profession brightly lit into whatever the future brings.
Whether you’ve been in the library profession a long time or just a little while and whether your library is a long established pillar of the community or new on the block, I very much hope you’ll seriously consider applying for our Idaho Libraries’ Futures Camp. We need diverse viewpoints and representation from all sorts of libraries and library folk from all across our state. Applications are open until Wednesday, March 20. I look forward to seeing yours!
Fail Forward
We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into a program, and no one shows up. You try something new, and you fall on your face. Sound familiar? Fail Forward is the place to share your failures, and give you the opportunity to share what you learned from them. Did you promote your program in a different way after no one showed up? Maybe you took a new approach to the new thing you were excited about? Awesome! Share your story via our online form so others can learn, and realize that failure is often part of the process.
Read Aloud Fail
One of my favorite things to do is read aloud to elementary students. I get to read plenty of picture books to younger kids, but occasionally I read to 3rd – 5th graders. You may be surprised, but there are still 8 – 10 year olds who will sit and listen to a chapter book for 20 – 30 minutes. Of course when picking out a chapter book most people go for quality. For some people quality means an older book, maybe a Newbery winner or a classic. However, reader beware: an older book can be a fail waiting to happen. Take, for instance, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I love this book, and I love that the librarian I was subbing for that day wanted me to read it to the 5th grade classes that were coming in. What I did not anticipate was the laughter that erupted when I read the word queer. At the time I just tried to keep reading and shushing, hoping they would settle down eventually, and that was why that was a fail. I should have not tried to pretend it didn’t happen, or that the word wasn’t really there. Since then I’ve learned encountering these words can lead to great teachable moments. Now when I read, if I see a word I think will be a distraction I read it but then stop and talk about it to the class. It’s a great way to engage them in the story.
Crush Corner
Is there a library you follow on social media who is always doing new and exciting things? How about a blog you follow that inspires you? What about a new idea, book, or resource that you want to share? Library Crush Corner is a place for those working in Idaho libraries to share what inspires them, and who or what they’re crushing on… in a professional sense. Share your story via our online form so we can publish it in a future issue!
Outreach Vehicles!
My Crush Corner this week is a category more than a single resource- creative library outreach vehicles! My library, Coeur d’Alene Public, converted a golf cart last spring to ferry library staff to community events like farmer’s markets and family days in the local parks. Ever since the conceptual planning, I’ve been really interested in, well, tiny bookmobiles. Bicycles, tricycles, boats- what’s the coolest bookmobile concept you’ve seen?
SPLAT explores the ever-evolving library world and supports library folks as they adapt to meet the needs of their communities. Library folk throughout the state of Idaho volunteer to serve on the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT). Learn more about SPLAT at splat.lili.org
SPLAT is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-00-18-0013-18). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.