News

Locked in the Library

by Carla McAllister

December 2013

            When I was young and growing up in a small New Hampshire town, I visited our library on a regular basis.  Back in the day, when borrowing an item, one wrote one’s name on the card tucked into the pocket in the back of each book.  Proponents of rights to privacy might blanch when reminded of this practice. It was amusing to me that, as I got older, I would often see that my mother and I chose the same titles, her familiar signature apparent on the sign out card. 

My mother was an avid reader and became a published author, newspaper writer, and photographer. She read to my brother and me nearly every evening.  This instilled in us both a lifelong love of reading. I can, today, read under nearly any circumstance.  I can read in a bowling alley and often did so when I was a member of a bowling league; I can read with music or television blaring around me; I can read in a boat, in a plane, on a treadmill, and while walking on a sidewalk, which I did through my school years as it was about a mile to school.  I can read for hours in a vehicle, preferably with a supply of chocolate near to hand.  I would often rather read than interact with people. 

My mother owned and loved two different black VW beetles. As I was always small for my age, I fit quite nicely for many years in the luggage space right under the back window.  This is where I would sit with my books as we rode around doing errands.  I had no seat belt, heaven forbid, and I am sure this practice would be discouraged and surely against the law today.

            I was never more content than when I rode my bicycle to the library and returned with my baskets overflowing with books.  Looking back at pictures from my childhood, often I have a book in my hands and piles of books surrounding me. I can easily recall what was taking place and what my feelings were at any given time by looking at the covers of what I was reading.  My mother would scold me when visiting relatives, as I would often curl up somewhere to read rather than join in the conversation.  I know parents now who would like to have such a problem; parents whose children would rather do anything other than read.

            My new husband has become reconciled to the fact that I will, most likely, forgo going into any store, be it a grocery store or Home Depot, so that I might read, and he will automatically park in such a way that I can alternate between my reading and people watching. In the dark, this requires that he find a space with a streetlight shining in my side of the vehicle.  He is well-trained at this point. Additionally, more likely than not, he will return with some form of chocolate for me.

            I always carry books with me; one I am reading and two others in case I finish my current choice.  Two, in case one of the back-ups is not to my immediate liking.  It is absolutely astonishing how much reading one can accomplish while waiting, waiting for the dentist or doctor to call you in, waiting for a prescription to be filled, waiting for commercials to end, waiting for your husband to pump the gas, or waiting for him to check out that tractor or some such item for sale on the roadside. In my case, I often have tons of time to read when he is in a hardware store or lumber supply outlet.

            I have often said that I would need no anesthesia while undergoing dental work or perhaps even a colonoscopy, as long as I had an interesting book to read.  When visiting homes where no reading material is apparent, I am appalled and cannot imagine living under such conditions.  Bathroom visits require reading material.  When none is on hand, I have been known to read Lysol bottles, disinfectant spray bottles, toilet bowl cleaner bottles and directions on prescription bottles.  What one finds in bathrooms not one’s own, can be revealing, humorous and sometimes distressing.

            Like my parents, I am extremely frugal, some might say tight, and reading is such an inexpensive pastime that it fits my needs perfectly.  One can obtain nearly any title either through the local library or through Interlibrary Loan, a fabulous resource of which many remain unaware. Sure, there are the new-fangled e-readers and the like, but to read a book all one needs is a book and a light source; no fully-charged battery, available wi-fi or pricy and often maddening device.  Plus, I would rather lose a book somewhere than lose an expensive e-reader.   

When I was laid off after over eleven years of working at an Auburn Payroll company, I decided I would pursue a job I could really love, so I took classes in librarianship. After obtaining a degree, I was on the look-out for a job in a small public library.  They are few and far between.  When the New Gloucester Public Library opening was advertised, I thought that I would never be lucky enough to be chosen.  Ultimately I was offered the position and I felt as if I had won the lottery.   

When I was young, I dreamed of inadvertently getting locked in the library overnight.  I even thought of ways I might make it happen.  Well, here I am now at the New Gloucester Public Library and I could not be happier.  During my hour long lunch each day, I choose to be locked in the library…I enjoy that hour immensely.

  I have two addictions to which I will admit; chocolate and reading. I have a cache of chocolate items squirreled away, I am working with books, I have avenues to knowledge at my disposal, my working atmosphere is positive and people I see each day are (nearly always) pleasant, and my colleague is every bit as much of a bibliophile and chocoholic as I, and I admit to hanging in the library after closing to read and live the fantasy.

My library memories are myriad and, as you can see, I could not make this short and sweet.  I will say, my childhood dream of being ‘locked in the library’ has come true and I couldn’t be more thrilled. 

Use These Tools! 

This presentation featured several Youth Services Librarians discussing various websites that they use and why we should consider using them.  Websites included YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, Vine, and Minecraft.  I found the YouTube presentation particularly compelling.  Ideas discussed included uploading short videos of librarians demonstrating rhymes and fingerplays.  This creates a learning opportunity for parents and also a way to promote library story times to young patrons.  Videos could embedded into library websites or shared on the library Facebook pages.  I thought book trailers created by young patrons would be fun to share.  This librarian also uploads video of programs.  She seemed a bit lax in regards to patron privacy stating that it is legal to photograph or video people in a public place.  While it may be legal to do this I think there are ethical issues to take into consideration.  The presentation on Pinterest was also interesting.  The Librarian presenting uses this site to feature a children’s book illustration of the day and links to book trailers.  This was a fun session offering an opportunity to see how others are using popular online tools to enhance their library programming.

Mary Beckett from Edythe Dyer Community Library in Hampden.

E-Books and Publishing Workshop presented by Noreen O’Gara, Bedford (MA) Free Public Library.

A great history of  systems using computers for storing texts, electronic ink, reading devices, and where we are today was presented.  In 2007 eReaders became available with content from Amazon and sold out in 5 ½ hours.  Backorders were finally filled in April of 2008.  When iPads hit the market in 2010 it was the end of the boom years for dedicated eReaders.  2011 saw Penguin refused to sell new content to libraries. HarperCollins placed a 26 time check out limit on library eBooks on March 7, 2011. Random House tripled the cost of eBooks to libraries in March 2012.   More tablets than eReaders were being sold in 2012, with android almost doubling the sales of Apple.  Getting content is now complex with considerations including publishers, printers, device makers, and content providers.  Be leary of subscription services stating that they are “fabulous” and “hand-curated” (movies, apps, books, etc.) such as Kindle Free Time ($2.99/$4.99/$9.99 per month), Oyster ($9.95/mo) Scribd (8.99/mo) Entitle (2 books/month, $9.99).

The Minuteman (MA) Consortium buys an Overdrive shared collection.  80% of the titles are for adults, 20% for children.  Studies show that 28% of adults have read on an electronic device and 46% of kids have read on electronic devices.    In looking at the Maine Info Net Overdrive a breakdown of adult vs. children’s titles is not readily available.  James Jackson Sanborn did pass along to me, “In terms of new YA or child content, the apparent lack of that content could be due to the lack of requests coming through the system coupled with the availability or lack thereof in ebook or e-audiobook format.  Although we have a few people who make selections with an eye toward YA lit, most of our collection is built by responding to direct user requests that are made through the search system.”  Children’s and Young Adult librarians…let’s get involved!

Laurel T. Parker

Children's Librarian

Windham Public Library

Library Instructor Teacher Jen Reed presented on the various technology tools she uses with her students during library classes. Her PPT can be found here. First, she sets up her learning commons to make it flexible and conducive to student-driven learning. Her stacks are on wheels and her furniture is moveable. The laptops, which are always out, and other tech tools are easily available to the students. She describes her library as “organized chaos” with her as a “guide on the side” to assist student exploration and learning.

Some of the literacy-related activities she facilitates are making Wordles  and Tagzedo word clouds about books, creating book spine poems, and letting children record themselves with an iPad talking about a book. (She always instructs students not to record their faces.) The students can use Animoto to create book talks and book trailers, Skype with others to discuss what they are reading, and use tools like Kid Pix, Comet Creator, and Flip cameras to create visual presentations about favorite stories.  

Reed ties all her programming to the Essential Learning Targets and Common Core. She regularly collaborates with the greater community through library events, makerspaces, author visits, and a summer reading program. Reed believes students need information, guidance, resources, space to explore, and an audience to encourage high quality learning. She documents her programs and examples of student work at her school district’s website to better share with parents and the community.

Submitted by Deborah Clark, SMLD Consultant

Embrace your Inner Tech Goddess or God!

This first presentation was my favorite because it involved new ideas interspersed with the actual technology being used for a particular program.  Cindy Wall and Lynn Pawloski presented a high energy presentation chock full of ideas.  Their excitement and creativity was contagious.  The program started off by showing the app for The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr.  Morris Lessmore.   With it you can go into the world of the story by learning about pianos, book repair, and even storms.   Over the next hour, Cindy and Lynn described various activities which involved technology as a part of their programs.  Here is a brief description of some of them.

Maximizing attendance

We all know how hard it is to plan for programs, because even if there is required registration, some people never come, while others drop in that day.  In order to fill up their programs with as many children as possible, they ask the adult signing up for a $3 deposit for one child and $6 for a family.  This is only to ensure that the patron actually comes to the event, and when they arrive for the program, they get their money back.  However, if the patron needs to cancel and gives the library enough time to call the first person on the waiting list, then they also receive their money back. 

e Tots

Ages 2 to 6 yrs

This is an interactive story time with children and their caregiver that involves using an iPad.   They explained that one computer account can have up to 10 devices registered under it.  This allows the librarian to buy 10 songs or app’s for the price of one.  An iPad poem is used to teach proper use.  It is based on 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe and this is how it goes:

1, 2 Clean my hands

3, 4 Sit on the floor

5, 6 Tap the app

7,8 Look, listen, and wait

9,10 Swipe the page

Now it is time to read again!

Older children and Transmedia

These programs were for school age children.  The topics included:

 The Solar System with The Cat in the Hat app’s and modeling clay,

A monthly art program called Pixels and Pencil’s where there was 15 of app time and then 30 minutes of  creation time.

Explore the Titanic, using a 3d movie, Her Story app, a fish tank and frozen balloons, and hidden tickets under chairs of actual passenger on board, that had to be researched through an app.

Al Capone Does my Shirts book discussion with two games where you had to get onto an island and one where you had to try and get off it, and a Mug Shot app.

The story of Hugo Cabaret, Stop motion filming, and using story board templates.

Through their whole presentation they emphasized that these programs do not need to be perfect, just fun.   They will be doing a webinar through ALSC on April 9^th and 24^th.  There is a fee.

Submitted by Annika Black, Norway Memorial Library