Programming Not Just for Boomers: Programming and Services
This program was a panel of three speakers, one of them being Marshall Shore from the Maricopa County Library District in Arizona. He spoke first and mentioned some of the programs the district is doing now:
Knit One, Read, Too! at SERL and the Crochet and Knitting Club at NWRL
Marshall is trying to get involved with national organizations such as Church of Craft and Craft Mafia to create and sponsor programs.
He then began talking about ideas and programs for the future. These included:
Film Movement
Independent and foreign films
Will be at 5 branches
Sponsored by Recorded Books
Library gets to show a film
ASU MFA Theater Play Writing
This is a program where patrons will read a short story and then develop it into a play. It sounded like it might be a contest and the winner gets to have help developing their story into a play and then actually getting to perform it.
University of Phoenix workshops on:
Going back to school (college)
Writing essays
How to apply for scholarships
Big Read
Book is To Kill a Mockingbird
Library will get to create a podcast and video for YouTube
There were a few other things he mentioned, but I couldn’t get them all written down. This group of speakers did not supply a handout.
Next he talked about the Perry Branch and its Deweyless system. The taxonomy is from the Book Industry Study Group.
The next speaker was Allan Kleiman from Old Bridge Public Library, NJ. He talked about programming for seniors. He is doing some amazing things at their library. He talked about how the typical 70 year old is much more active, mobile, and engaged than a 70 year old from 10 or 20 years ago. He said there are 35 million people age 65 and older in the U.S.
Some ideas for senior programming include:
Technology training
Basic computer training
Intro to the Internet
Safety & security on the Internet
Medicare Part D
How to buy tickets online (airfare, concerts)
Email children and grandchildren
Gaming- Wii for seniors (good for maintaining hand-eye coordination)
iPods, ebooks
blogs
film/book discussions
cultural programs
movement- basic exercise, dance
financial security, recently retired
2nd career- resumes for 70+
Consumer health
Local history
The Teaching Company courses
Coping with loss
Genealogy
Nostalgic programming on decades, events, persons, places
Creative writing, poetry- turn it into a blog. Can do an open house for the community to read seniors poetry and other writings. Can also link with a classroom of students at school to write on a theme together. Can listen/watch streaming video of a poet reading his/her work.
some ideas for how to teach seniors include:
peer to peer
intergenerational classes
boomers teaching parents
teach in a nursing home
social networking sites for seniors
All programs should:
Allow people to share, discuss, and reminisce
Have refreshments
Get people involved
Use their mental capabilities
Make program into an event
Here’s one example he gave about making a program into an event (this would be a cool idea for us to use!)
Show the recent award winning movie The Queen starring Helen Mirren
Display royal memorabilia (print, commemoratives)
Book display @ program of royal fiction, biographies, nonfiction
Have English music playing
Show movie (introduce and ask questions at the beginning & end)
Red carpet leading into room
Serve theme refreshments- tea and scones, etc.
Check out this library’s senior blog at seniorspaces.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
ALA program: More Shining Stars
I went to the 2007 American Library Association Conference in Washington, D.C. from June 21- 24. The next few posts will be my comments about the programs that I attended. I went mainly to Reader's Advisory programs and Programming programs!
More Shining Stars: Award-Winning Programs for Small and Medium Sized Public Libraries
I thought that this program would be a little better than it was. Only two of the speakers on the panel had any ideas that we could possibly use for for my library where I work, but both of these library’s programs were for teens.
Bloomingdale Public Library
One program that was discussed was having Dance Dance Revolution competitions. Teens were invited by being given a little 2x3 card advertising the event. They hold the event once a month for an hour and a half and provide snacks and drinks. They usually have 30+ teens at each event. It is something that was very inexpensive. They just had to buy the game, have a TV screen, and then purchase refreshments. Lots of libraries across the county are doing this, including Phoenix Public library here locally.
A lot of libraries also have the game Guitar Hero that teens can play. If you’ve never played this, you have to try it. Best Buy has a display set up so people can play around with it. It’s really fun! Libraries just have to buy the game and then have a TV. Relatively inexpensive in the long run.
Linebaugh Public Library
The program from this library sounded really cool and very intellectual. It’s called Café Symposium. It is an after school discussion group that encourages the development of critical thinking. The handout for this program was very thorough. The speaker said that everything a library needs to start up this program at their own branch is included on the handout. The facilitator that they use is an Honors philosophy student at their local university. She is their facilitator for free (it will look good on her resume).
In order to generate interest in the program, a library staff member and the facilitator go to high schools around the area to recruit students. They target AP English students who are Juniors and Seniors.
They usually start each session with a focus piece such as a poem, TV episode, etc that ties in with the topic in order to get the students comfortable and talking. They limit the event to six weeks with one session each week. A key to the success is that the facilitator never gives his/her opinion no matter how much the students beg!
More Shining Stars: Award-Winning Programs for Small and Medium Sized Public Libraries
I thought that this program would be a little better than it was. Only two of the speakers on the panel had any ideas that we could possibly use for for my library where I work, but both of these library’s programs were for teens.
Bloomingdale Public Library
One program that was discussed was having Dance Dance Revolution competitions. Teens were invited by being given a little 2x3 card advertising the event. They hold the event once a month for an hour and a half and provide snacks and drinks. They usually have 30+ teens at each event. It is something that was very inexpensive. They just had to buy the game, have a TV screen, and then purchase refreshments. Lots of libraries across the county are doing this, including Phoenix Public library here locally.
A lot of libraries also have the game Guitar Hero that teens can play. If you’ve never played this, you have to try it. Best Buy has a display set up so people can play around with it. It’s really fun! Libraries just have to buy the game and then have a TV. Relatively inexpensive in the long run.
Linebaugh Public Library
The program from this library sounded really cool and very intellectual. It’s called Café Symposium. It is an after school discussion group that encourages the development of critical thinking. The handout for this program was very thorough. The speaker said that everything a library needs to start up this program at their own branch is included on the handout. The facilitator that they use is an Honors philosophy student at their local university. She is their facilitator for free (it will look good on her resume).
In order to generate interest in the program, a library staff member and the facilitator go to high schools around the area to recruit students. They target AP English students who are Juniors and Seniors.
They usually start each session with a focus piece such as a poem, TV episode, etc that ties in with the topic in order to get the students comfortable and talking. They limit the event to six weeks with one session each week. A key to the success is that the facilitator never gives his/her opinion no matter how much the students beg!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Favorite Historial Novels 1997-2007
Historical Novels Review is putting together a list of readers' favorite historical novels of the past 10 years for their 10th Anniversary issue. These are my favorites that I sent in:
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier
The Innocent by Posie Graeme Evans
The Exiled by Posie Graeme Evans
The Uncrowned Queen by Posie Graeme Evans
Queen of Shadows: a Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II by Edith Felber
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory
The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier
The Innocent by Posie Graeme Evans
The Exiled by Posie Graeme Evans
The Uncrowned Queen by Posie Graeme Evans
Queen of Shadows: a Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II by Edith Felber
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory
The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund
Favorite Books
This is a quiz that I got off of Sarah Johnson's blog, so I thought I'd post my answers here. It really made me think!
A book that made you cry: There are lots of these! I would say that one of the books that touched me the most was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I was sobbing within the first few pages.
A book that scared you: It by Stephen King. I started it and could only read a few pages. I hate clowns.
A book that made you laugh: Grosse Pointe Girl by Sarah Grace McCandless. Very sarcastic. Very true to life in the 80’s.
A book that disgusted you: The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. Horrible descriptions of murder scenes. Made my stomach turn.
A book you loved in elementary school: Without a doubt it’s Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I have read this book at least 13 times over the years, and my friend and I used to reenact the scenes from the book. I have the first paragraph memorized.
A book you loved in middle school: I would have to say Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. I read it for the first time in sixth grade, and this is another one that I have read multiple times over the years and have multiple copies of. I still love it to this day.
A book you loved in high school: This is a hard one! I don’t really remember reading anything for fun in high school. I did like Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
A book you hated in high school: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I loathed this book in high school and haven’t read it since, though I may try again someday. It’s the only book my mom ever had to force me to read and grounded me until I finished it and wrote my 10th grade essay.
A book you loved in college: I really didn’t read any books for pleasure in college. I was too busy with schoolwork and nonfiction books. One that stands out that I loved and wasn’t tortuous to read was Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph Gies.
A book that challenged your identity: The Short Life of Sophie Scholl. A very moving book about Sophie Scholl and the Nazi resistance movement The White Rose. It made me think about right and wrong and standing up for what you believe in.
A series that you love: The “Ann” series by Posie Graeme-Evans. It’s historical fiction set in the time of Edward IV (a favorite). The titles are: The Innocent; The Exiled; The Uncrowned Queen.
Your favorite horror book: The Shining by Stephen King. Also my favorite horror movie. You can’t beat Jack Nicholson.
Your favorite science fiction book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I liked the humor, though I can’t stand science fiction.
Your favorite fantasy book: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I’m not a big fan of fantasy either, but these are great. I like the moral lessons.
Your favorite mystery book: Another difficult one, because I don’t read mysteries either! I can’t think of one I’ve liked. I tried to read Nancy Drew as a kid, but I was completely bored. I never even got through one of them.
Your favorite historical novel: This is hard, there are too many. I would have to say my favorite is Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. It’s the second historical fiction novel I read as an adult. I love the descriptions, the language she uses, and the way Chevalier takes you back to the time period.
Your favorite biography: Royal Panoply by Carolly Erickson. Each chapter is short and focused on one of the kings or queens of England. Great introduction to English history.
Your favorite “coming-of-age” book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is great. We had to read parts of it in 8th grade, and I didn’t really get it. I read it a few months ago and fell in love with it. Now I know why it was voted the best novel of the 20th century.
Your favorite classic: I really like Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. It’s short and sad, very moving. Listen to it on audio, read by Gary Sinese- amazing!
Your favorite romance book: I don’t read romances either! My favorites are Wuthering Heights by Bronte and Pride & Prejudice by Austen. Both are great movies, too.
Your favorite book not on this list: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Another book that I’ve read multiple times. It’s an amazing coming of age story.
A book that made you cry: There are lots of these! I would say that one of the books that touched me the most was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I was sobbing within the first few pages.
A book that scared you: It by Stephen King. I started it and could only read a few pages. I hate clowns.
A book that made you laugh: Grosse Pointe Girl by Sarah Grace McCandless. Very sarcastic. Very true to life in the 80’s.
A book that disgusted you: The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. Horrible descriptions of murder scenes. Made my stomach turn.
A book you loved in elementary school: Without a doubt it’s Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I have read this book at least 13 times over the years, and my friend and I used to reenact the scenes from the book. I have the first paragraph memorized.
A book you loved in middle school: I would have to say Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. I read it for the first time in sixth grade, and this is another one that I have read multiple times over the years and have multiple copies of. I still love it to this day.
A book you loved in high school: This is a hard one! I don’t really remember reading anything for fun in high school. I did like Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
A book you hated in high school: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I loathed this book in high school and haven’t read it since, though I may try again someday. It’s the only book my mom ever had to force me to read and grounded me until I finished it and wrote my 10th grade essay.
A book you loved in college: I really didn’t read any books for pleasure in college. I was too busy with schoolwork and nonfiction books. One that stands out that I loved and wasn’t tortuous to read was Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph Gies.
A book that challenged your identity: The Short Life of Sophie Scholl. A very moving book about Sophie Scholl and the Nazi resistance movement The White Rose. It made me think about right and wrong and standing up for what you believe in.
A series that you love: The “Ann” series by Posie Graeme-Evans. It’s historical fiction set in the time of Edward IV (a favorite). The titles are: The Innocent; The Exiled; The Uncrowned Queen.
Your favorite horror book: The Shining by Stephen King. Also my favorite horror movie. You can’t beat Jack Nicholson.
Your favorite science fiction book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I liked the humor, though I can’t stand science fiction.
Your favorite fantasy book: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I’m not a big fan of fantasy either, but these are great. I like the moral lessons.
Your favorite mystery book: Another difficult one, because I don’t read mysteries either! I can’t think of one I’ve liked. I tried to read Nancy Drew as a kid, but I was completely bored. I never even got through one of them.
Your favorite historical novel: This is hard, there are too many. I would have to say my favorite is Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. It’s the second historical fiction novel I read as an adult. I love the descriptions, the language she uses, and the way Chevalier takes you back to the time period.
Your favorite biography: Royal Panoply by Carolly Erickson. Each chapter is short and focused on one of the kings or queens of England. Great introduction to English history.
Your favorite “coming-of-age” book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is great. We had to read parts of it in 8th grade, and I didn’t really get it. I read it a few months ago and fell in love with it. Now I know why it was voted the best novel of the 20th century.
Your favorite classic: I really like Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. It’s short and sad, very moving. Listen to it on audio, read by Gary Sinese- amazing!
Your favorite romance book: I don’t read romances either! My favorites are Wuthering Heights by Bronte and Pride & Prejudice by Austen. Both are great movies, too.
Your favorite book not on this list: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Another book that I’ve read multiple times. It’s an amazing coming of age story.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Genre Challenge Update
I haven't been potsing very much lately...but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading! I've been keeping true to my word and doing a genre challenge. So far I've posted about reading a Romance and a Mystery. I've also tackled the genres of Romantic Suspense, Women's Lives & Relationships (2), Horror, and a Legal Thriller. So far nothing has been extremely wonderful. My favorites were from the Women's Lives & Relationships genre, a Barbara Delinsky novel and one by Debbie Macomber. I really enjoyed the Barbara Delinksy one. The Debbie Macomber was twofold- for my genre challenge and for my knitting book discussion group that I run at the library.
I really enjoyed reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I listened to it on audio. It was read by Gary Sinese, and he does a fantastic job. I highly recommended it. I also really liked listening to the audio version of A Raisin in the Sun.
This week I will be attending the American Library Association conference in Washington, D.C., so I will have plenty to write about!
I really enjoyed reading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I listened to it on audio. It was read by Gary Sinese, and he does a fantastic job. I highly recommended it. I also really liked listening to the audio version of A Raisin in the Sun.
This week I will be attending the American Library Association conference in Washington, D.C., so I will have plenty to write about!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Chapter A Day Email
I recently signed up for an Email Book Club. The way that it works is that you receive a five minutes portion of a book in your Inbox each day. By the end of the week, if you like what you've read, you can get the book from the library. A new book starts every Monday. There are many new clubs that you can pick from, for example Fiction, Mystery, Nonfiction, Romance, Pre-Pub, and Teen. I joined the fiction club. Today I received in my Inbox the first portion of a new book entitled City of Glory by Beverly Swerling.
This service is offered by library where I work and by thousands of other libraries around the country. The service is provided by www.dearreader.com. It's a good way to see if you're going to like a particular book without investing too much time into it. I used to finish every book I started whether or not I even liked it. I've decided now that there are too many things out there that I really want to read, so why waste my time with something I don't even like? For example, last week I started listening to Sidhartha by Herman Hesse on audio CD. I got 2/3 of the way through the first disc and decided I couldn't stand it. I know it's a classic, but I just couldn't do it.
This service is offered by library where I work and by thousands of other libraries around the country. The service is provided by www.dearreader.com. It's a good way to see if you're going to like a particular book without investing too much time into it. I used to finish every book I started whether or not I even liked it. I've decided now that there are too many things out there that I really want to read, so why waste my time with something I don't even like? For example, last week I started listening to Sidhartha by Herman Hesse on audio CD. I got 2/3 of the way through the first disc and decided I couldn't stand it. I know it's a classic, but I just couldn't do it.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Genre Challenge: Mystery
For the month of March I read The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl. I started out reading it for a project at work and then decided to count it as my mystery book for my monthly genre challenge.
The book was okay. I started out by reading the novel and got through the second chapter. It hadn’t really piqued my interest, so I thought maybe that listening to it on audio might help liven things up. I’m glad I switched to audio, because I don’t think I could have finished it otherwise.
The story takes place just after the Civil War in Boston. The primary characters are the literary giants of the day: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Russell Lowell, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, and James T. Fields, from the Ticknor & Fields publishing company. This core group of men form the Dante Club. They are working on an English translation of Dante’s Inferno for the American public. All of the men are Dante fanatics, and they are met with resistance from the Harvard Corporation. Things start to get weird when several prominent men in Boston are murdered “Dante style.” The members of the Dante Club pick up on this because of their intimate knowledge of Inferno. Pretty soon Boston’s literary elite are investigating alongside the Boston police.
The reason that made the book just okay was that there seemed to be little distinction between the characters of Holmes, Longfellow, and Lowell. The ending was a bit convoluted as well. We are taken into the world of the killer for two chapters and then brought back into the Dante Club, and a character the reader hasn’t heard from since the middle of the book reappears, so in my opinion the ending was a bit jarring. I appreciate the idea of the book- wrapping literary giants around a murder and having them try to solve it. I’m happy that I gave it a try, but I can’t say that I’d read a Matthew Pearl novel again.
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