Monday, September 22, 2014

Video Book Reports Are Here!

I get bored with doing the same old things, year after year.  This year I decided to try some new things.  One of the things I am very excited about is our quarterly video book reports.

In cooperation with the 4th - 8th grade teachers in Dist. 326, a student or students will have the opportunity to be recorded here at the library doing a video book report (trailer? teaser? other exciting word?). The teachers set their own criteria for nominating their students, and teacher participation is strictly voluntary.  All students nominated during the quarter will be eligible to be chosen to make the video.  A predetermined number of book reports will be recorded and uploaded to the library's YouTube account and linked to our website and Facebook page.

The first installment of videos can be viewed HERE. One sixth grade class was the only participant this quarter. They did the book reports as a class project and did all their own recording. We posted all the videos from this class. The remaining deadlines for teacher nominations are mid-December, mid-March and early May.

I am hoping the students will enjoy this as much as we have.  By posting the videos from the entire class, I hope it will keep them enthused about reading.  I also hope their enthusiasm spreads to their friends in other classes.  Mainly, I hope I don't use the word hope in any more sentences in this very hopeful paragraph.

Stay tuned for more to come!

Ms. Anita

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Next Week, We Hit the Ground Running!

After slightly catching my breath in late July and being a planning machine in August, I am ready for everyone from Pre-K to school age to come back to the the library next week.

AGES UP TO 5

For the Storytime set, 3 - 5 year Storytime starts on Tuesday, September 16. Storytime will meet every-other week during the school year, except on school breaks or emergency days. Storytime DOES require registration so enough materials are prepared for craft time.  Storytime meets at the new time of 10:00 A.M.

Toddler Time starts again on Wednesday, September 24. Toddler Time is for 18 to 36 month old kiddos and an accompanying adult.  Drop-ins are welcome at Toddler Time because Ms. Anita does NOT attempt crafts with this age group.  Toddler Time will meet every-other week during the school year, except on school breaks and emergency days, and always the opposite week of Storytime.


ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE

School-age students K-4th will begin class visits to the library again starting September 16. Every-other week, the classes come for library time.  1st - 4th graders check out books and enjoy a story or activity.  My Kindergarten friends learn how to treat books by getting some time to take books from the shelves, browse them, work on sight words, etc.  After several minutes of that activity, they get to enjoy having a story or two read to them.  Kindergarten does not check out books on their class visits, but any child who is 5 years old can get his or her library card! 

K-5th grades have their first after school program on Thursday, September 18! The ever-popular Back to School BINGO is in the house right after school. It is a great time to relax, hang out with some friends, and just be a kid. BINGO runs from 3:20ish - 4:45 P.M. We close at 5:00 P.M. that day and have a staff meeting immediately following, so please have your rides arranged for your kids.


JR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL AGE

Currently, the 6th-12th grade age group doesn't have anything planned. "Why not?!? That's not fair!", you say? Well, we are in the process of running a month-long survey during September to find out what days, times and activities would be of interest to this age group. It was time for a change with this group so we will take the results of the survey and see where we go from there.  The survey can be found *HERE* . It is only 5 questions long.  If you know of a District 326 student this age, please encourage him or her to take the survey. Thanks. 

6th grade through adults right now can participate in the fall charity project Project Linus.  We are currently accepting blankets through November 1st.  Some of the Project Linus guidelines are: 
- Blankets may be knit, crochet, sewn or fleece
- Blankets must come from a smoke-free environment
-Do NOT wash your blankets.  Even "free" detergents can cause allergic reactions.
-No open weave patterns with holes are permitted
-Nothing over twin bed size
-Locally, the greatest need is for 3 - 9 year old boys. 


Complete details can be found on our website *HERE*. 


There is an upcoming Sew-In on Saturday, October 4 where we will work on jelly roll quilt tops and and a Fun with Fleece day on Saturday, October 18.  If you don't have time to complete an entire blanket before November 1st, we are also accepting knit or crochet 6" and 12" squares that we will piece together. Every little bit helps. Get busy! This is perfect blanket making weather!


Phew! That's the remainder of September in a nutshell.  We are just getting started!

I hope to see you soon!


Ms. Anita 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

I'm starting a blog, and...

This is my first attempt at blogging. I thought it would be a great additional way to communicate what is going on in the world of Youth Services at Lillie M. Evans Library. Sometimes you need more than just a headline or paragraph to explain something. Please bear with me while I poke around and learn by doing and get my feet wet.  I hope you will find this blog informative, helpful and fun.

I'll "talk" to you soon,

Anita Routh
Youth Services
a.k.a., Ms. Anita (by young and old, near and far)