This week at the library; or, the year speeds by

Everything is moving in ultra-fast motion now, as we finish up for the year.

Monday - staff meeting, still debating library changes, finalize program schedule for the winter/spring.

Tuesday - only a couple girls showed up for Make it and Take it. I am hoping the new afternoon program I will be debuting in January will be more successful, the Elephant and Piggie Kids' Club!

Wednesday - still lovely giant groups for Preschool Interactive! 32! Oddly, almost all girls. Of course, it being our last Lego Club of the year, we had almost 40 people, more than we've had all semester. Sigh.

Thursday - much confusion as I finalize my move - I'm moving to the next town over. I also visited the Lakeland School, which is the county's special education school. I've had a group of the younger kids visiting a couple times and they were really fun. This time I went to see the junior high kids. The school is fairly new and REALLY AMAZING. They should have tours! I took a variety of stuff, a mixture of picture books, samples of all our different formats, and some of the most popular books I've taken on my sixth grade visits. The kids were great, very attentive. The older books were mostly too long, although they liked hearing about them and their teacher said she reads aloud. I think next time I visit I'll bring more funny younger chapter books, nonfiction, and easy readers. The picture books were a hit! This is what I brought:

Sample of dvds (nonfiction), blu-ray, wii games, playaway, audiobook on cd, and magazine.

• Alanna the first adventure by Tamora Pierce
• Mal and Chad by Stephen McCranie
• Boys are dogs by Leslie Margolis (cd book)
• I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter (playaway)
• Zombies Calling by Faith Erin Hicks
• Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
• Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to not reading by Tommy Greenwald
• Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor
• Villain.net and Hero.com by Andy Briggs
• Candor by Pam Bachorz
• Kiki Strike Kirsten Miller
• Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner
• Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton
• This book made me do it: Cool things to make, do and explore
• I'd really like to eat a child by Sylviane Donnio
• Stuff that scares your pants off by Glenn Murphy
• Oh no! by Mac Barnett
• Footprints in the snow by Mei Matsuoka
• The book that eats people by John Perry

Friday - The thousands of AV security cases and other sundry items we ordered arrived, beautifully timed. Immediately after the city guys had left, too early for the middle schoolers to be there to help, and right as the senior travel club was letting out, so there were cars everywhere as we unloaded boxes from the semi and carted them across the street to the library and up the stairs to the back door. Of course, the shelves I desperately need have NOT arrived, while the magazine cases, which could have waited until January, did.

I participated in our town's Santa visit for the first time. It happens after hours in the community room and is sponsored by a local bank. I was there to read stories while the kids lined up for Santa. It was crazy! Hundreds of kids and parents! Two separate piano recitals, one in the lobby, one in the community room. Tables of cookies, crafts, and more. It was lots of fun and I met regular library patrons and some new people, but I was hoarse after the first book, it was so loud. Anybody have a magic formula for reading over two piano recitals and 100+ excited chattering kids and parents?