In short, I am busy: 2nd grade field trip

 Program Goals: 

• Introduce kids to the library and its role in the community
• Introduce kids and teachers to the different functions of library staff
• Give kids and teachers a sense of community ownership of the library
• Promote school/library cooperation

10-15 Minute Tour

• Start upstairs at the director’s office
• The director is the principal of the library. They help everyone do their jobs, make sure the library runs smoothly, and represents the library in the community.
• Adult services
• The adult services librarian and their helpers do all the things for grown-ups that we do for kids - fun programs, new books, help with computers, and visit people who can’t come to the library.
• Downstairs - Information desk
• A place for grown-ups to ask questions. Kids can ask questions here too, if there is no one at the children’s desk!
• Circulation
• This is where the materials circulate. Circulation staff help keep track of who checks out what, remind you to return your books, put the books away, and answer questions about checking out books, fines, etc.
• Children’s desk
• This is where kids can ask questions! If you need help finding something, want a recommendation for a good book, need help with your homework, or want to find out what’s going on for kids in the library.
• Technical services
• Ms. Barnes is in charge of putting all the information about the books into the computer, so we can find them in the catalog.
• Ms. Lisa puts the covers on the books and fixes the broken books.
• MAGIC TAPE
• Discussion of where new materials (and the money for them) comes from
• Back to circulation - go through the work room to Storyroom

10-15 Minute Craft and Storytime

• Storytime
• Decorate people who are important in the community. Kids leave people to be put up on the wall. Try to discourage ninjas. There are no ninjas in Elkhorn and if there were they would not be an important part of the community.
• Books
• The Book that eats people by Perry
• Read the book lemmings by Ame Dyckman
• Supplies
• die cut gingerbread people (large)
• markers

Evaluation

• 2023
• This is now an official field trip, as the timing hasn't worked out for the kids to come to the library on their community walks. We rarely do the craft, but I send the cut-outs back with the teachers for the kids to decorate. I include a short talk on summer reading as well.
• 2019
• This was originally meant to be part of the schools' community walks around town, but I ended up using it for summer field trips. That means that some of the kids, depending on the school, have already heard some of it. I adapt and shorten as needed, and if I have a very large group let half of them make die-cut puppets while I take half around and then switch. 40 is the absolute upper limit for this tour, since it's very talk-intensive.