Behind the Scenes at the Library

Howdy

The Matheson Memorial Library's Facebook page features a great album called Behind the Scenes at the Library. I love this album. Every year SRP ends and people act like we've closed the whole department. We offer significantly less programming in August compared the schedule for June and July. Of course we are just preparing for the fall, but patrons sometimes think we are all on vacation.  Happily The Matheson Memorial Library of Elkhorn, Wisconsin has tackled the patrons' very important questions :

Did you ever wonder what we do at the library when there are no children's programs? Take a peek to see what's happening behind the scenes over the next few weeks! 

I would be thrilled to have an album like this for our library.  My To Do list is quite lengthy.

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 Also I really need a nap.  I know we put on a great show and the team gave it their all.  But as with any performance the encore approaches and it's time to wrap up.  If we had to maintain our SRP level of activity throughout the year I think we would get run down and prone to more illnesses. 

Does your library have programing breaks?  How do you use the time?  I told my storytime kids I had to take a break to clean the craft supply closet and all the storytime props.  What reasoning to you give to parents and kids who want a full events calendar year round?

Laura

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Storytime Providers Meme

Five Truths and a Lie. 

I love all these ideas expect the first one.  As a Youth Librarian I serve children and teens so I know the reality of baby storytime.  I think it's cool that I can do all the things. 

Laura

Disclaimer 

Favorite Blogs and Websites

Howdy
I don't like to assume things. I will never forget being at a youth services seminar as a freshly minted librarian.  I felt desperately out of place.  I was trying hard to look and act more  knowledgable than I felt. The speaker said "well now we've all read Whirligig," and she moved on to other things.  I had to sit there with my squirmy self.  I was unable to admit that I hadn't read the book and that I didn't even know the author.  I was miserable at my  unfamiliarity with the book and my inability to articulate what I needed. I made a note and resolved to find this sacred text I had some how missed in graduate school. I later read Whirligig by Paul Fleischman and also Seedfolks. I am glad to have been led to such good fiction but I wish I didn't have to be shamed into learning.  

A wise adult told me once that "when you assume, you make an a** out of you and me."  While this idea might not be safe for work, it certainly gets the point across.  Misinformation is a terrible foundation for communication. 

I am working on a page of Online Resources. It's all sorts of handy stuff for storytimes, youth programs, employment and management.  Its a pretty broad swath so I'll pull out some highlights for you.

Ask a Manager - I swear I read this for fun.  If you have a question about your boss or employees.  If you want to know about salary and timecards and interview etiquette, you should bookmark this website.  You will love the facebook page for quick updates.  It's like Dear Abby or Ann Landers for the employment world.  Not all the scenarios are library related but we work with people and people issues are universal.  You will find a common thread here.  

Jbrary - I love scarves, egg shakers and bean bags.  Guess who else does?  Jbrary does!  I think they are more excited about my storytimes than I am.  They have an awesomely diversified social media presence so you can learn however you like.  I can honestly say I use at least one of their ideas in every Preschool storytime I do. I am hoping for more parachute ideas.  *pretty please*  Be sure to check out their Blogroll with many other online resources for youth services. 

KCLS -  This is the YouTube channel for The King County Library System of King County, Washington.  They are adorable.  Not sure you can list that on a resume but hey there are worse traits to have. Can you carry a tune and be instantly engaging?  If not these YouTube videos are right up your alley.  I get frustrated when I read a rhyme or song and I think "well maybe you think that's to the tune of America the Beautiful but I just cannot make that work."  KCLS will help you out.   I really appreciate that they will sing, dance to and just plain demonstrate the entire rhyme or song.  

Sunflower Storytime -  This is a really comprehensive blog.  It's well organized and a has a lot fun things to offer from preplanned storytimes on a variety of themes, to hands on crafts and other activities.  I actively subscribe to page updates via email and I have a ton of the emails archived for later dates to help me stay ahead on my planning.  I am madly in love with the printables, which are super sharp and reproduce nicely.   I really appreciate the school age ideas, they always give me a nudge in the right direction.

Storytimes to Go and More - This closed Facebook group is a wealth of knowledge. While that might sound corny, it can be a relief to know that the answers are out there.  Sometimes I just need to talk to other Youth Libs.  Maybe I have a question about behavior in storytime, or how to train my brain to finally remember this week's rhyme.  Better minds have walked these trails before so why not benefit from the experience of others when you know there is an easier way.  Personally I like to beat my head against a wall at first but once I'm ready to ask for help, this group is always there for me.

Storytime Underground -  If I were the President of Storytime and I had a cabinet of librarians to inspire me they would be The Storytime Underground.  Half the time I'm not even sure what sort of program to do next and before you can say Ram-a Lamb- a ding dong, I have more ideas than my Pinterest boards can accommodate.  I find this group to be highly motivated and very encouraging.  In moments of stress and weakness,  I enjoy the camaraderie of the highly caffeinated Storytime Underground.  

Enjoy!


Laura

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Preschool Storytime - Hats

Inspired by the Hat Storytime from MissMegStorytime.

We Are Here Together - From Open/Closing Songs by Storytime Katie“Here, Here” (Tune: “Skip to My Lou”)
Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
We’re all here in storytime

Hello, children, how are you?
Hello, grown-ups, how are you?
Hello, friends, how are you?
We’re so glad to see you!


Books
Where Is Mary’s Hat by Stephene Barroux
Hooray For Hat by Brian Won
Whose Hat Is That by Anita Bijsterbosch


Songs
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes  Carol Hammet from It's Toddler Time 

Hokey Pokey by Carol Hammet from It's Toddler Time 

Freeze by Greg and Steve from Kids in Action

Peter Hammers  by Laura Johnson from Circle Time Songs and Games

Sticky Bubble Gum by Hugh HanleyI don't have the cd so we just sang it ourselves. To hear the tune and see the lyrics with actions, visit SongsForTeaching.

Song with Puppets

To tune of Laurie Has a Pig on Her Head  by Laurie Berkner from The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band but utilizing my supply of puppets which sadly does not include a pig.

Laura has a dog on her head
Laura has a dog on her head
Laura has a dog on head
and she keeps it there all day

Cow – Horse- Cat - Skunk

Laura has a skunk on her head
Laura has a skunk on her head
Laura as a skunk on her head
so we all just ran away



Feeling Faces from SunflowerSTorytime. 

Scarves
Borrowed from Scarf Songs and Rhymes for Storytime on Jbrary.
One Bright scarf - (adapted from 10 Little Fingers at Storytime Rocks)
One bright scarf waiting for the wind to blow (hold in hand)
Wiggle it high (wiggle scarf above head)
Wiggle it low (wiggle scarf by knees)
Shake it fast (wiggle scarf quickly)
Shake it slow (wiggle scarf slowly)
Put it behind your back
Where did it go? (bring out empty hands)

Jack in the box sits so still
Will he come out
Yes he will


Closing
We Clap Our Hands Like This - tune farmer in the dell
Borrowed from Opening/Closing Songs on Storytime Katie who borrowed it from Rhymes for Toddlers on Sunflower Storytime. 

We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands with all of our friends
We clap our hands like this.

We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss with all of our friends
We blow a kiss like this.

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye with all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.

Craft
Our Hat Craft is from the Hat Storytime from MissMegStorytime.   I printed the coloring sheet and precut the bow ties and hat stripes using up lots of scrap paper from the office.  I encouraged the children to draw other things on the hat like a brim, feathers or fun shapes.  Of course I forgot to make mine pretty before class started so my demo is a little bland. 


Laura

Disclaimer

Donut Chef

Howdy

For Summer Reading we had a program called Donut Chef.  I used the free online printable Donuts Buddies from Oh Happy Day to create a donut dude.  Basically its a page of arms, legs and accessories.  I was impressed that my teens carefully colored and  assembled their creations for over a half hour.  We used toothpicks to stick the paper parts on our cream cakes.  Several teens wanted to created their own  accessories so some donuts had belts and crazy hair which we stuck on the cakes with frosting. 

I made a Memory Game with Donut Printables from Oh Happy Day. I printed three sets of the donuts and then pasted them on leftover card stock to create a giant table top Memory Game.  You could also tape the cards to a wall or wipe board.

For a really active group try the Jelly Donut Scrabble Scramble. Using scrap paper and our alphabet stamp kit, I stamped and cut out many sets of the alphabet.  The teens had to spell jelly donut.  I spread the letters on the floor in a marked off section.  You can use tape or a parachute to keep the letters from wandering around.  Next decide if the teens will work alone or in teams.  The first teen or team to spell Jelly Donut wins. I read about this on Team Building Activities, the scramble is about half way through the post.

I did have worksheets ready so the teens could draw a fancy new donut that they would then pitch to a Shark Tank style panel of teens.  The teens would award sprinkle stickers based on marketability, taste and visual appeal.  The teens like wearing the stickers that I made with laser printer labels but they didn't want to do the rest of the activity. I'm thinking maybe we make donut stickers next time?

I had planned a passing game using Popsicle sticks and donut clip art pasted on old cds but we never got to that.  Instead we spent a lot of time decorating prepackaged honey buns.  I provided the teens with frosting, food coloring, a variety of sprinkles and colored sugars, as well as plates, plastic knives, little cups for mixing colored frosting and tons of napkins.  

I also learned that Simple Green all purpose cleaner will get frosting out of your pants.  

Laura

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Preschool Storytime - Beach

*Originally published 7/9/15, updated 1/27/16 to include printable of surfboard patterns coloring sheet.*

We started class with our octopus friend.  The kids don't think he need a name.  They were eager to tell me how many legs he has and if that number was more less than spiders, dogs and nearly everything else they could think of. 

We Are Here Together - From Open/Closing Songs by Storytime Katie “Here, Here” (Tune: “Skip to My Lou”)

Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
We’re all here in storytime

Hello, children, how are you?
Hello, grown-ups, how are you?
Hello, friends, how are you?
We’re so glad to see you!

Books
How Will We Get To the Beach 
     by Brigitte Luciani
Fun Dog, Sun Dog by Deborah Heiligman
My Octopus Arms by Keith Baker



Music
Five Fish Swimming In The Sea by Dr Jean from Sings Silly Songs 
Down By the Ocean by Peter & Ellen Allard from Sing it! Say it! Stamp it! Sway it! Vol. 2
Took a Bath in a Washing Machine 
     by Jim Gill from Jim Gill Sings Silly Songs and Other Contagious Tunes 
Goldfish by Laurie Berkner fromThe Best of the Laurie Berkner Band

Felt Board
I loved the rhyme Bubble Bubble Pop on the YouTube channel for Champaign Library. I have a set of felt sea creatures so we sang the song with the colors and names of our ocean friends. 

One Little red fish 
swimming in the water
swimming in the water
swimming in the water
bubble bubble bubble bubble Pop

The kids liked the pop ending of Bubble Bubble Pop so much we did our Ten Little Bubbles  rhyme next.  There is a great video by Boone County Public Library so you can learn the tune. 

One little two little three little bubbles
four little five little six little bubbles
seven little eight little nine little bubbles
ten little bubbles went pop pop pop

pop them pop them pop those bubbles
pop them pop them pop those bubbles
pop them pop them pop those bubbles
ten little bubbles went pop pop pop 


Egg Shakers
Both songs are from Give Your Storytime a Shake on JBrary.

If You're Happy and You Know It
if you’re happy and you know it give a shake
if you’re happy and you know it give a shake
if you’re happy and you know it give a shake
if you’re happy you know it and you really want to show it
if you’re happy and you it give a shake
clap – tap

Everyone can Shake, Shake, Shake
everyone can shake shake shake
everyone can shake shake shake
everyone can shake shake shake shake
and now lets make a stop

tap – clap – wave

Closing
We Clap Our Hands Like This - tune farmer in the dell
Borrowed from Opening/Closing Songs on Storytime Katie who borrowed it from Rhymes for Toddlers on Sunflower Storytime. 

We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands with all of our friends
We clap our hands like this.

We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss with all of our friends
We blow a kiss like this.

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye with all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.

Craft
For our craft I made a simple pattern worksheet using surfboards.  I encouraged the parents to help their children trace the patterns with their fingers before coloring the sheet.  Click the link below for your own printable.

Laura

Disclaimer

Preschool Storytime - July 4th

We Are Here Together - From Open/Closing Songs by Storytime Katie “Here, Here” (Tune: “Skip to My Lou”)

Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
Here, here, we’ll all here
We’re all here in storytime

Hello, children, how are you?
Hello, grown-ups, how are you?
Hello, friends, how are you?
We’re so glad to see you!


Books 
Summer Beat by Betsy Franco

My first group thought this book was too long and slow.  My second group really settled in.  They became very quiet and were cuddly with their parents right up until the end.

Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer

My kids just do not understand Olivia.  The humor is lost on them.

Biscuit's 4th of July by  Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Cute, simple and safe.  

Is Everyone Ready for Fun by Jan Thomas 

This was hands down the best book of storytime.  In fact I did this program with my regular preschool group and I repeated it a day later with for visiting preschool group.  The children were intrigued by my stand up book and it really helped to drain their energy so I could help them focus on other things.


Songs  
Wheels on the Bus by Mr. Eric and Mr Michael from Groovy Green
Can't Wait to Celebrate by Jim Gill from Irrational Anthem and More Salutes to Nonsense.The Freeze by Greg and Steve from Kids in Action
Spaghetti Legs by Jim Gill from The Sneezing Song and Other Contagious Tunes

Sticky Bubble Gum by Hugh Hanley
I don't have the cd so we just sang it ourselves.  To hear the tune and see the lyrics with actions, visit SongsForTeaching. 


Felt Board
I tried to get my group to sing Happy Birthday to America before we did this rhyme but they all gave me the oddest looks.  Also of the two groups I tried this with, one group was convinced that if they blew the candles off the board that I would just keep putting them back up.  To a preschooler this is a marvelous game.  I was not amused and we moved on without completing the rhyme. 

5 Birthday Candles wish there were more
Blew out one, then there were 4.  

4 birthday candles, pretty as can be.
Blow one out, then there are 3.

3 birthday candles, Hope my wish comes true.
Blow one out, then there are 2.

2 birthday candles Birthday cakes are fun
Blow one out, Then there is 1.

1 birthday candle, the party is almost done.
Blow out one, Then there are none


Bean Bags
With bean bags - Song: “Silly Hat Song” (Tune: This Old Man) Credit: SurLaLune Storytime
On my head, I wear my hat. It is such a silly hat
That my head will wiggle waggle to and fro
Where else can my silly hat go?
[Repeat using foot, elbow and knee.]


Puppet On Your Heart
From JBrary, you can watch the full video of the song. I changed the lyrics to beanbags and it went very well. 

Put your puppet on your heart, On your heart.
Put your puppet on your heart,On your heart.
Put your puppet on your heart,What a lovely way to start!
Put your puppet on your heart,On your heart.
Put your puppet on your knee…
You’ll both be filled with glee…
Put your puppet on your toes…
Now move it to your nose…
Put your puppet on your head…
Put your puppet straight to bed…
Give your puppet a big hug…
Make it snug as a bug in a rug


Rhyme
Fireworks Go - Borrowed from Miss Katie's Storytime Wiki and she borrowed it from Perpetual Preschool.   I like this rhyme but I can't snap my fingers and neither can most of my storytime kids.

snap, snap, snap (snap fingers)
crack, crack, crack (slap knees)
zap, zap, zap (make flashing motions with hands)
Fireworks make me
clap, clap, clap (clap hands)
on Independence Day!

Closing – tune farmer in the dell
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands like this
We clap our hands with all of our friends
We clap our hands like this.

We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss like this
We blow a kiss with all of our friends
We blow a kiss like this.

We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye like this.
We wave goodbye with all our friends.
We wave goodbye like this.

I am so glad I didn't plan a craft.  I've been having 15-20 children but this week I had 36.  I would have run out of supplies for sure.  I have a giant bin of duplo blocks and we played with those for about 15 minutes after class instead.  I was so happy that everyone helped to clean up afterwards.  No on threw any blocks and we all got to practice sharing.  

Laura

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Quick Pic - Popcorn

Howdy

The week before July 4th we showed the kids the movie The Incredibles.  I only saw the beginning.  Maybe I was only there to make popcorn?  Its a new skill for me.  Now if only they'd let me laminate. 

Mmmm butter flavoring.

Laura

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