The Good Enough Librarian

  Yes, yes, I love books, but I also really love weeding. I like to think that books have a life cycle, some longer than others, and that's okay. Our library is not an archive, and especially for youth things, the trends swing so quickly that it's important to make sure our collection is relevant. WHY? Weeding lets me make more space for not only new items, but also for displays. My goal for most shelves is to have an item on display on each shelf. If possible, I also like to have a few completely empty shelves for full shelf displays, especially handy for graphic novels and chapter books.  HOW? When I'm weeding a section I generally go through 2 times: first with a circulation report and again for condition. I prefer to use a patron count for circulation, rather than a checkout circ (which can include renewals) because it gives me a better picture of how many different people checked out an item. For the circ report, I'm looking for things that have significantly lower...

One of the most powerful things is watching a group of strangers be creative in the same space. As I've expanded programming to include all ages, I've noticed a few group parameters help regardless of the age. Yes, grownups need reminders too. Here's my tips for a successful craft program. Sharing Is Caring  The first time I offered rock painting for grownups I was stunned that the first people through the "shopping" area took almost all the paint markers. I used my most cheerful voice to remind everyone that since you can "only paint with one marker at a time, please share with your neighbors." They looked around and started laughing. Now I start by letting people know that they can always come back to the shopping table and we have plenty for everyone. Keep It Simple Our library offers some amazing craft programs by professionals, but we also added in more flexible, process-based crafts for different age groups. These are more like art buffets, with a ...

I feel like this post might need several conditional statements. For the record, I appreciate our amazing kid-focused performer community. I value the work that they do. And also, I've moved away from offering a performer-focused summer reading program schedule. That's not to say I don't have any performers, just that now our programming is heavy on drop in events with little to no prep and clean up, inexpensive supplies and capacity for large crowds. Sound too good to be true?! It's not, I promise. Move Outdoors  Having something outdoors lets you not worry about capacity, gives a more relaxed atmosphere, and invites families to come and go as they need. Think beyond your library and scout out area parks, especially in underserved areas that could use more direct service. Aim for early morning (10-12) or late evening (6-8) when temps are cooler. Having a play structure nearby is plus, since it allows families to stay longer and kids can move their bodies between activi...