I’m trying something new in programming this month at the library: a paid performer on a weekday morning.\u00a0 This month is rare in the town in which I work – there is no early release day from the public schools in May.\u00a0\u00a0Normally, I schedule most of our paid performers\u00a0to come on early release days, since after experimenting with Thursday evening shows and Saturday shows I have found that the best attendance for events is on early release day shows.\u00a0 (And, of course, magic shows always get the best attendance of all, much to my sadness, but that’s\u00a0a post for another day.)<\/p>\n
When the May early release day was\u00a0cancelled back in December, I was first very glad that I had not yet scheduled a performer, and then I had to decide what to do for May programming.\u00a0 I toyed with the idea of having no performer at all, but that didn’t feel right to me.\u00a0 Then I thought about scheduling a Saturday show, but quickly decided against that given the weak attendance at the very cool Saturday program we hosted in January.\u00a0 January is an indoor month in town, where May is full of outdoor sports programs and the Apple Blossom Festival and the Garden Club Plant Sale and all kinds of other things.\u00a0 Not worth me bringing a performer to the library on a May Saturday.<\/p>\n
Then I decided to try a weekday morning performer who specializes in working with preschoolers and infants.\u00a0 We do not have storytimes on Tuesday mornings, so that seemed the natural time to run a show.\u00a0 And, even better, the Memorial Day holiday means that my Monday morning storytime regulars would be happy to have a Tuesday morning program to make up for their missed regular storytime.\u00a0 And I’ve been wanting to bring Hugh Hanley back to the library, since I love\u00a0the gentle way\u00a0that he encourages\u00a0 parents and children to sing and do fingerplays.\u00a0 And I always learn from him: watching Hugh is like attending a master class in working with preschoolers.<\/p>\n
Happily, we have a large group signed up to attend on Tuesday, and I suspect that even more attendees will drop in, which is just fine by me.\u00a0 The more the merrier!\u00a0 After all the mental machinations (and agony) that it took to get me to this decision of having a morning program, I’m thrilled that it turns out there is a demand.\u00a0 This may be the beginning of a new programming trend at the library, budget allowing, of course.\u00a0 How awesome would it be to have an early release day program each month for the older kids and a Tuesday morning program each month for the younger ones?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I’m trying something new in programming this month at the library: a paid performer on a weekday morning.\u00a0 This month is rare in the town in which I work – there is no early release day from the public schools in May.\u00a0\u00a0Normally, I schedule most of our paid performers\u00a0to come on early release days, since … Continue reading Coming on Tuesday<\/span>