As I mentioned in last week's blog post, I attended a library conference in Juneau. The AkLA (Alaska Library Association) and PNLA (Pacific Northwest Library Association) joint conference was a confirmation of the serious work and joyful community that libraries provide for all of us. I left Juneau feeling uplifted and inspired.
I'm a retired teacher and volunteer for the teen program at my local library, so I already have a soft spot in my heart for school librarians, youth service librarians, and library workers. You may not be aware of some of the great programs and activities they create for their patrons, so I'll give you some examples I heard at the conference. To start, public school district librarians offer help and a quiet place to hang out for students in all school levels. They teach research and literacy skills, too, from Lincoln, Nebraska to Petersburg, AK. Many libraries, including in the Anchorage School District, also host the Battle of the Books program at their schools.
Often, the public libraries collaborate with their neighboring schools. The Jefferson County Library District in Oregon provides resource guides to complement curriculum units and helps with their public schools' Battle of the Books. This year, the Valdez Library will offer enrichment on their school district's Flex Fridays.
Many public libraries host summer reading programs, but they don't stop there. The Homer Public Library has a thriving teen group. Juneau Public Libraries has an annual children's bookmark contest. In Anchorage, programs range from Family Storytime to Free Play Mornings for little ones, and from a Teen Anime Club to Teen Crafternoons for older youth. Ketchikan's Public Library offers activities like an Enchanted Forest Party for youngers and a Dungeons and Dragons character creation workshop for teens--wish I could attend that one!
As you can see, libraries find creative ways to give their young patrons what they need and offer fun that keeps them coming back. Yay, libraries! Librarians rock!
P.S. Podcaster and librarian Amy Hermon attended our conference and interviewed librarians. Hear from them at her post here: https://schoollibrariansunited.libsyn.com/283-spotlight-akasl#
Comments