All posts by Abby

Storytime

Storytime changes

After two rather difficult Toddler Storytimes (difficult for me, that is), I’ve made the decision to do what I knew all along was the best thing: switch to using pre-registration for this age group.

Though I fully understood that pre-registration was preferable for this age group and for the focused, curriculum-based model that I’m using, I had initially decided not to use pre-registration because of the small size of the town and because a Toddler Storytime is a new concept in this town.  I had hoped that I would be able to roll with the unpredicability of a drop-in toddler storytime, but the last two weeks proved that Judy Nichols (of course) is right in her admonition to pre-register no more than 12 children.

Not yesterday, but two weeks ago yesterday, attendance for the toddler group was 26 adults and kids, including three babies.  Many people arrived late, and not all at the same time, so my “flow” was interrupted over and over again, and I had to keep reining in my highly distractible audience.  Very difficult, and not very pleasant; it’s hard to move the storytime beyond ordinary when your audience isn’t focused or fully involved. 

Then, one week ago yesterday, attendance was only 12 adults and kids, and the group dynamic reflected the scattered nature of the previous week.  Kids were less attentive than they had been in weeks before, and the group didn’t congeal as nicely as I had hoped.  Part-way through the storytime, I made my decision, and announced to all present that the storytime would be shifting to 6 week sessions requiring pre-registration by the end of November. 

Group dynamics aside, another huge benefit of pre-registration will be ease of preparation.  If I know for sure how many kids are signed up, then I know for sure how many materials (nametags, handouts, giveaways) to create, saving valuable time and energy.  I spent the better part of the Sunday before last making two dozen clown nametags (and please do remember that I don’t get paid for any time I spend on the weekend doing prep work), and ended up using only six of those nametags.  Sure, I can use them again, but I would have liked to have a more relaxing weekend, too.  Life is short.  Why create stress when it’s not necessary.

So this past Monday’s Toddler Storytime will be the last drop-in storytime for that age group.  We’ll have a two week hiatus (Veteran’s Day and school vacation week), then begin our first 6 week session on November 26.  I’ll take sign-ups through the Friday prior.

Book groups, Children's book reviews, Children's literature

Crispin: Cross of Lead

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The 5th grade book group met last Tuesday afternoon to discuss Crispin: Cross of Lead by Avi, and the result was an example of how a great book can generate a great discussion.

Crispin has inspired an incredible fan base in this book group, and two of the girls have been so enthusiastic and effusive in their praise of the book that they have led many of their classmates (kids who do not belong to the book group) to find and read the book and its sequel.  As a fantasy-weary adult, I am thrilled to see so many young readers excited about a work of historical fiction, and I decided that it would be fun to steer a chunk of our discussion towards the historical core of the book.

But before we discussed the history behind the fiction, the group first shared their favorite parts of the book with each other.  The character of Bear topped the list of favorites, and we talked a bit about his personality and how lucky Crispin was to find/be found by Bear.  And it became clear from our discussion that one major strong point of this novel is the contrast between Bear and John Aycliffe, and the way that contrast creates a dynamic tension in the story.  The group members loved the forward-moving action of the story, but also appreciated the way that the slower moments of the book build Crispin’s back story and help readers better understand his character (for example, some kids mentioned at first that they were a bit bored by the start of the story, but as we talked, we came to a consensus that Crispin’s character would be difficult to appreciate if we didn’t have a sense for what a non-entity he had been his entire life).

After a bit, I transitioned the discussion over to an examination of the historical aspects of the book.  Some of the kids were not entirely sure what “historical fiction” means and how it differs from “realistic fiction,” so we spent some time puzzling out a working definition of the term historical fiction.  Once that was under our belt, we talked about which aspects of the story were based upon actual history, and which parts were fiction.  Though this discussion won’t translate well to this blog post, it was incredibly productive and enlightening for most (if not all) of the group members, me included. 

The meeting ended on an enthusiastic upbeat; and the very best part, for me, was that there was not a single mention of Harry Potter for that 45 minutes.  Blissful.

Book groups, Children's literature, Young adult literature

Book lists

After talking with my brother, the blogging genius, I have added a new page to this blog.  Titled “Book Lists,” this page is a compilation of the books that I have been using with my book groups over the past two or so years. 

There are several items of note concerning the book lists, which I also mention on the book list page:

~ Not all of the books on the list are books that I have actually used with my book groups.  Some of the books are ones that I had proposed to my groups, but they have not chosen to read.  Some are books that we will be reading in the upcoming months. 

~ The majority of books on the lists are new (published in the last few years), though there are some classics included.

~ I do not use discussion guides in my book groups (see the book list page for details on why I choose not to), and so I do not provide discussion questions for the books on the list.

~ I will update the lists periodically.  At the moment, my book groups have chosen their books through January, and all of those titles are on the lists.  We will pick the titles for February through June in December, and I will add those books at that time.

~ Some will think that the books on my lists are at a high level for the grades listed.  This is due to the composition of my book groups; my library is in a very literary town, and the kids who belong to my book groups are strong readers.  See the book list page for more details on this subject.

~  Not all of the books we have read for book groups have been successes.  I try to write a post on each book title summarizing the group discussion; to find these posts, search by the book’s title. 

Enjoy the book lists – I hope that they are of use to others!

Blog administration

Sick, and lagging behind

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As you may have noticed, there have been few posts in the last week.  I’m fighting a tenacious cold, and I just don’t have the energy to write a coherent post while getting better and working more than full time.  Please stay tuned, I’ll begin writing again when I’ve recovered!!

Librarianship

Library, continued

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Thanks to all who gave their input on the definition of the word library.  As you may have guessed, I did have an ulterior motive when I posted my request.  The world is changing, and the role of libraries in the world is changing.  Are libraries still the silent bastions of study that they once were?  Or have they become community meeting places, centerpieces of the community?  Is one role preferable over the other? 

I have always loved libraries, because they are quiet, peaceful havens with lots and lots of books.  When I’ve been in school and used libraries for studying, my study breaks usually consisted of walking through the stacks, browsing through books of different topics.  I had the best study carrel my senior year in college – it had carpeted walls and was against the wall at the end of a long stack of books – and two stacks over from my carrel was a collection of books on the history of Pennsylvania.  I loved flipping through those aging books and learning more about the area in which my college was located.  I also loved going one floor down and across into the newer part of that library, to the section of old yearbooks, where I’d browse through looking for photos of my dad, my uncle, my brother, and friends who had graduated.  Somewhere in that section is my yearbook, the one I never bought a copy of for myself, with the photos of me and my boyfriend of the moment; I wonder if current students ever browse through that yearbook and wonder about that oddly matched couple. 

When I socialized in my college library, it was always in the main foyer area, where socializing was approved of, or on “the boat,” which was well known as the only section of the library where you could get away with talking.  You didn’t sit on “the boat” if you actually wanted to get work done.  And in my hometown’s library, the librarians were always quite strict about maintaining a quiet atmosphere.  The main socializing that occured between teens at that library took place via copious graffiti in the study carrels.

So obviously my bias is towards libraries as quiet, reflective places where I can bury myself in a book and lose track of time and space.  Some would probably consider this model to be old-fashioned, and it probably is.  But what happens when we lose the peaceful aspect of libraries?  Are there any other public spaces in our society that provide room for silent contemplation?  How necessary is it to have calm havens?  Is there a greater need for a safe, controlled community space that is open to all?  And if a library becomes a community gathering spot, does that then draw more people to reading, people who might not otherwise visit the library and check out books, thereby serving more people in the community than if it were operating on my old-fashioned library model?

I don’t have answers to these questions.  Truly, I don’t know which library direction is more important for the world today.  All I know for sure is that my own personal preference is for silence in a library, a preference born out of my love of books and reading, my past library experiences, and my tendency towards introversion.

Librarianship

Library, defined

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What is your definition of the word “library”?

I’m not looking for a verbatim dictionary entry; I’m hoping to discover what it is that library means in our society.

Please add your definition of library to the comments!

Children, Children's literature

The State of Reading Today

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In my tenure at the library, I’ve facilitated quite a few book discussions for children and teens, and there has been one universal ingredient in all of those discussions.  It doesn’t matter the age of the book group members, or the book that is on tap for that meeting:  each time in the last two years that I have sat down with a book group, the conversation has turned at some point to Harry Potter.

The Harry Potter books have irrevocably, and I would argue harmfully, shaped the way that children and teens today read.  I should make it clear that I am not a snobbish hater of Rowling and her work, but my personal opinion is that Rowling’s strength lies in her plotting and overall vision for the Potter series, not in her writing style.  When library patrons, adults and kids alike, rave to me about what a fabulous writer Rowling is, I cringe inwardly.  How can an author who regularly produces wordy, under-edited 800 page tomes be considered a fabulous author?  Her plots are terrific, her fantasy world engaging, but her writing, in my opinion, borders on miserable dullness. Continue reading The State of Reading Today →

Book groups, Librarianship, Library events, Storytime, Teaching

Friday wrap-up

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It’s been a busy week, as usual…

Monday was my second toddler storytime, and it was SO much fun!  I’m still using Judy Nichol’s book as a guide (the newest edition arrived at the library for the children’s office professional collection), and I chose her “Bears” storytime this week.  Despite my concerns about learning and presenting “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” I was able to pull it off, and we all had such a great time with it.  As Jim put it, I actually got out of my own way, and tapped into my inner storyteller. 

At this point, I’m not yet limiting enrollment to the toddler storytime, but it’s clear why Nichols recommends that approach.  Three families arrived late, and at different times, and the flow of the storytime was definitely interrupted by those late arrivals.  Perhaps in the future, once this storytime is better established, I’ll be able to require pre-registration and on-time attendance, but I am working in a small town with a limited number of toddlers, and I want to be accessible and open to all.  It’s a puzzle, one that I’ll have to work out over time.

On Tuesday, I hosted two book groups at the library.  Continue reading Friday wrap-up →

Book groups, Young adult book review, Young adult literature

The White Darkness ~ Geraldine McCaughrean

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The teen book group discussed The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean today, and are sitting in as guest bloggers to give you their opinions on the book:

Attendee #1:  I thiught that The White Darkness  had a good plot and some amazing descriptions of Antartica. There were some parts of the book that I just had to keep reading. The narrator was a very interesting character who displayed a very different point of view than those of many narrators that I’ve read before. The one complaint that I had was that the main characters were all very complex and hard to predict. Though that made the story very interesting, It also caused me some confusion, and there were some times that I had to go back and reread. All in all, The White Darkness was an interesting and informative book that created a very good discussion.

Attendee #2:  

The White Darkness was in all a very good book. Although the characters were strange, they also contributed to the overall story because it wouldn’t have been the same if they were all completely sane. Sym was a character I could relate to very well, especially during the first part during which Sym is at school. I was always a shy, weird girl with few friends, so that part brought back memories. Another part of the book I really liked was the idea of travelling. I seem to like books set in different or unusual places right now. Your book really did make me think about what it would be like to travel in Antartica, as I have often wondered what it would be like–it was very thought inspiring. I’d reccomend it to my friends who are more creative and open-minded.

Attendee #3:  I didn’t actually finish the book, but I did find the half I did read very…strange. I don’t know, I guess it was beacause all of the major characters seemed to have internal or mental issues that caused them to act in random ways. I never really understood Sym, or Victor, or anyone else. I also found it weird that Sym would have a friend/lover that is probably imaginary, but no one really knows. And he died 90 years ago! Imaginary friends are fine when you’re little, even if you’re shy and alone they’re understandable at an older age, but the relationship Sym had with Titus seemed very odd to me. Maybe I didn’t appreciate it because I am unable to relate to any of these characters, but I wasn’t really sure what to make of the story.

Librarianship

On my plate

Here are the things that are on my plate at the moment (and today will be a busy day, as I catch up after being out sick for two days – some bug that totally took the starch out of me, but I’m feeling better now):

– Cultural Council grant applications: they’re due on October 15, and I’m trying to firm up a few things with my performers of choice before completing the applications

– the October calendar needs to be printed:  My portion of the calendar is ready to go, I’m just waiting on one item from an adult group that meets at the library.

– planning for the spring performers:  I’m actually almost all done with this, but am waiting to hear back from a couple of performers.

– summer reading planning:  I have some thoughts on who I’d like to schedule for this summer, and it would be awfully nice to get the summer all planned before Halloween…

– continue to study up on infant and toddler storytimes: the more research I do on these storytimes, the more excited I get about how fabulous our storytime program will be once I’ve fully implemented the changeover and become comfortable with the new formats.

– research prices on the supplemental materials needed for the “Mother Goose on the Loose” program: this program includes some great hands-on, multisensory materials, like bells and rhythm sticks and scarves, so now I need to look into how much these items will cost.  It’s a one-time expense, essential to the success of the program, but I don’t want to overspend.

– and, of course, the ongoing project of reading book reviews and ordering. 

Busy day ahead!