2023-09-01 SPLAT Curiosity Report: Volume 15, Issue 1
Featured Story
A La Cart at the Library!
After watching an overwhelmed mother wrangle three children through the stacks of the Children’s Library, past the help desk and through the self-checkout process, it was apparent the library needed to do something to help, but what?
One staff member mentioned they had read about a library purchasing small child sized shopping carts for children to push around while selecting library materials. A quick internet search revealed competing styles and sizes of carts available. To test the concept three child sized carts from different vendors were purchased and placed in the children’s library. The original cart, which most resembled a grocery cart, lasted less than a week before a child tested its limits and collapsed the cart onto itself. The second choice, one from Melissa and Doug, seemed to be the best choice. The third cart arrived in a very small box and was a Child’s Shopping cart made for use with a doll. It was about six inches tall and 8 inches long. Something that had been missed in the order process. Thank goodness for return services!
The library ended up with 9 shopping carts, which fit neatly under the display table in the Children’s Library. Not only do children enjoy driving around the library, but those who use the shopping carts usually end up taking a cart full of books with them as they leave. It’s a win-win: more books at home for children to read, and less hassle for those bringing them to the library!
By Robert Wright
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.
Sensory Room Struggles
The Meridian Library District’s Orchard Park Branch opened on May 1st this year. Our newest branch was designed, through community input, with accessibility in mind. One key part of this design is the inclusion of a sensory room. Thanks to the support of the Meridian Library Foundation we have been able to provide features such as a LED curtain, reading nooks, crash pads, fidget toys, and more. The sensory room was designed to support sensory regulation for folks with sensory processing difficulties (such as those with autism, ADHD, etc.), however, we found our intentions of the space fell short of expectations. Kids saw the space, with all of its cool toys, lights, and features, as a playroom! Because of this miscalculation, we ended up with a space that was a sensory nightmare. Kids were swinging from our LED curtain like a scene from Tarzan and hurling yoga balls at each other, screaming and yelling all the while.
Now that we have been open for a few months and have communicated clear expectations for our sensory room, we have seen the space being used more respectfully and intentionally. This allows for patrons of all ages to regulate during their visits. We’ve also been able to purchase additional toys and resources for our active child space to help draw kids and parents in a space that was actually designed for play. I had two main takeaways from this experience; it is important to have clear, properly communicated expectations for the public as well as listen and respond to the needs of the community. As our patrons start to use Orchard Park Branch more, we will continue to communicate how to use the library and adjust to the feedback we receive.
By Rebekah Bitikofer
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!
I Dig It – Dig DC and The People’s Archive at DC Public Library
I have been sifting through the DIG DC online archive on and off for a good six months or so now. There are so many cool things in here, but my favorite is the DC Punk Archive Fliers, Poster, and Programs section. I love love love band posters and flyers and can’t get over how many archives are in this collection for the punk rock scene in DC. Besides just the plethora of outrageous punk band names and cool shows being put on for various benefits or causes, I also love the art and typography. I also really like their FAQ page, it covers questions like Can I use something I found in Dig DC? And What is Dig DC’s Takedown Policy? Since we are talking about the Punk scene, there is also an abstract that lets the researcher know about content and the use of this content used in the context of artistic expression. Proceed as you dare.
Besides the Punk Archive, there are also other cool collections such as the Unicorn Times, which was “a small-run music and arts newspaper published in Washington, DC from 1973 to 1985. Its coverage included music news, performer profiles, reviews, and information of interest to local fans and artists. In early years, the paper’s focus was primarily on folk, blues, bluegrass, and southern rock music.” And also, the Emergency Committee on the Transportation Crisis posters archive. Taken from a part of the Abstract, “In the 1960s The Emergency Committee on the Transportation Crisis (ECTC) grew out of the efforts of residents in northeast D.C. and Maryland who organized to prevent government confiscation of homes in the path of the freeway.” I hope you have as much fun as I did exploring the archives!
By Monique Gaddy
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 https://libraries.idaho.gov/splat/
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-246156-OLS-20). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.