HomeMy WebLinkAboutOperational Report from Marsha
To: M. Rebecca Loader, Library Director
From: Marsha Tubbs, Children's Librarian
Subject: April 2003 Operational Report
Date: 4.28.2003
I. Programs
A. Preparations are underway for summer storytime. Since the Melsa theme for 2003 is "Explore Bright
Ideas at the Library", I thought it would be a nice twist to have our PreK patrons explore their
imaginative careers at the library. We will be featuring magicians, fire fighters, entomologists,
gardeners, space explorers, and several more "wanna bes". Each participant will take home a hand
crafted item as a remembrance of their exploration time.
B. Statistics
April Program Title Date Children Adults
Kindergarten 7 -Apr 19 2
1 st grade 4/7/2003 13 1
1 st grade 4/7/2003 15 1
6th grade 4/7/2003 27 1
4th grade 4/9/2003 24 1
5th grade 4/10/2003 16 1
8th grade 4/10/2003 14 1
2nd grade 4/11/2003 24 1
5th grade 4/11/2003 16 1
Preschool Fieldtrip 30-Apr 19 4
Preschool Fieldtrip 4/30/2003 17 4
II. Collection
A. Inventory of the Y A collection is complete. I was surprised to discover that the charge assumed lost
status within the collection was considerably higher than either the J non-fiction or the J Fiction sections.
Perhaps we need to market the phone renewal number a bit more aggressively to this group of readers.
B. I will be working on collection development in the Y A Fiction section during the month of May. Each
spring since 2001 we have evaluated the circulation within the Y A collection in an attempt to get a
handle on what Columbia Heights Teens are reading. As a result of the evaluations I have been
purchasing more mysteries, romance and fantasy titles and less of the "troubled teen" materials. I have
also added more browsing materials in the non-fiction areas and graphic novels. As a result the
circulation within this section is increasing.
C. I placed another large order to Baker and Taylor this month. Books were received and added by 4/28.
D. F or the last two years we have purchased tapes and CD's through B&T. The last CD order I placed
through B&T resulted in a shipment of books not CD's. B&T could not locate the ISBN's we placed
with the order and choose to substitute with books. The Director and I have discussed a potential
E. standing order option available through Listening Library; however, I am reluctant to commit to a
standing order at this time. I am investigating other options.
III. Projects
A. National Library Week programming in the children's department involved two prize drawings and the
distribution of book lists and activity sheets. The Department gave away a Blues Clues board game and a
Trivia game to two lucky winners. The library distributed nearly 300 pencil toppers announcing the
Library's 75th anniversary along with National Library Week 2003. Bulletins boards throughout the
building featured famous readers from within the community and balloons proclaimed "@ the Library"
the slogan adopted by the American Library Association.
B. Due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to attend the MELSA workshop on April 3. But staff member
Kelly Olson stepped up in my place. The workshop dealt with school readiness and the ways that
schools, libraries and parents can work together to ensure that all preschoolers are ready for
Kindergarten. Kelly's report follows:
I attended the Libraries, Parents and Schools: a Partnership to Achieve School Readiness on April 3,
2003 at the Ridgedale Library. Elaine Czarnecki and Gilda Martinez, Reading Specialists presented the
workshop.
The goals of the workshop were to familiarize participants with the most current research on how to help
young children start school ready to learn to read; give participants an overview on how kindergarten
teachers assess their readiness; and to demonstrate how libraries can use the information in their
storytimes.
It was interesting to hear feedback from the participants, hearing their ideas and suggestions on how they
are incorporating some of these things. Some suggestions included: using name tags to get kids familiar
with letter recognition, when reading stories, ask questions about the story you are reading getting the
kids more involved, point out words that might not make sense to the kids, use stories that rhyme so they
become aware of the sounds in words, and use non-fiction in storytimes. Basically, I think we all have
the same goal when we are dealing with kids who are getting ready to go off to kindergarten. We all want
them to be ready to learn, and by using some of the ideas suggested, we can all work together to make it
possible.
IV. Staff
A. Cristy Tombarge, Library Aide established a photography display in our display case this month. The
display featured children's books on photography, baby pictures of children's department staff and
photographic equipment. She is working on May's display now, which will feature the crafts being
offered at our summer storytime programs. As a part of revamping our Summer programs, Cristy has also
developed a series of treasure boxes (gadgets, thing-a-ma-jigs,gizmos and whirligigs). The boxes will be
used to house incentives for the MELSA reading program this summer. She also aided in bulk loan
preparations, bulletin board prep for the coming summer, photocopying Summer Reading Fun flyers and
newsletters.
B. Kelly Olson, Children's Department Clerk Typist, attended the MELSA workshop (see above),
participated in the City's Bring Your Child to Work Day program by providing a book discussion time
on site for eight visiting children. Kelly placed and received three book orders during April. She has
spent a considerable amount of time dealing with our magazine supply difficulties. Back issues are now
pouring in and keeping track of missing titles vs received titles is time consuming.
C. Pages have been preparing the paperwork generated as a part of upcoming summer programs: 1500
flyers have been produced in house and counted into packets of 20 for distribution through District 13
schools, booklists have been compiled and produced, cut and stapled; reading records are being
numbered and registration forms produced. They also aided in the completion of the Y A inventory and
shifted the EJfiction and JNon-fiction collections.