Programs for Kids & Teens
Contents |
Success Stories
Boys' and Girls' Summer Book Groups: A Success Story and What We Learned
At my rural branch library (Greene County Branch of Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Virginia) we've had a boy's summer book group for two summers and a corresponding girl's group for one summer. These were half book groups and half activity clubs...
[1]Community mural
We developed a community mural at my library by interviewing the community in the library about what they would like, finding teens through a charter school and hiring a muralist to help create a mural and to guide the process. It was a wonderful success with the kids, left a beautiful mural in the community room. We worked with the kids with art books to help give them ideas about murals and art projects.
Youth Services Success with Boys' Program
I am absolutely new to this (wikis, THIS wiki), but would like to start out by saying I'm a NON-LIBRARIAN ("clerk" and "library assistant" are job titles I've held), working 20+ years in public libraries, mainly in Youth Services. I've been a long-time library user (long before working in one) and am a parent of grown children (thus, the time to participate in this wiki, and take classes toward an LTA certificate).
Over the years, getting kids (especially grade school age boys) to read for pleasure (and to come to the library for programming) has been a challenge. This year, my library was awarded a grant for the purpose of bringing boys back to books.
The programming involved hands-on use of "building" materials, such as Lincoln Logs, erector sets, and a program (hired-out) involving designing your own video game. WOW! Was it ever successful (and yes, girls were included). We purchased some books to go with the programs (such as the "Wright Three" series as well as books about Frank Lloyd Wright, when we hosted an architect & people from the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust to talk and demonstrate building techniques using Froebel blocks, etc.). Parents (and kids) are still talking about our programs and hoping for more.
I'd be interested to hear other success stories involving boys and books and libraries. -- Alice Majka
Blogs/Websites to Watch
- EZ Library Program Database from the Mid-Hudson Library System.
The Imaginary Librarian a Blog filled with YA Programming Ideas, Pictures and Instuctables
