This week at the library; Summer reading week 3

Programs

• Paws to Read (2 kittens! 30+ people)
• Family Storytime (last one with A subbing. frog theme!)
• Dungeons and Dragons (run by teen associate and director)
• We Explore Nature (A did a rainbow theme. It's science.)
• Project Explore (trying 4:30-6:30 time)
• Family Storytime (Esther is back!)
• Maker Workshop: Gel Candles
• Storywagon: Zach Percell of TnZ magic
• Library on the Go - summer school/free lunch
• summer reading - ~900 kids registered, ~100 tweens & teens. summer reading take home kits - minimals or straw weaving

Notes

• All my staff (except one aide) were back this week so we went to a full set of programs. There were a lot of additional meetings at the library this week and at one point we had every room filled and were squeezing groups into odd corners!
• It's a little early to assess how things are going, but some things I'm going to need to consider for next year - ~400 of my summer reading registrations were materials distributed at school visits/field trips after we had started. Pretty sure 90% of the kids promptly lost them. The teachers really like this and the kids did too, and it's great optics, but it might not be worth it if printing costs keep going up. I probably won't do book clubs in the summer again and I might let them go in the fall as well.
• The different times for Project Explore are working well, but I think that will be something I do in the summer. I had a much smaller group, but it was mostly different people and some of them were a group we're trying to reach - our Spanish-speaking population. The child that came was looking for something to do while their parent was meeting with a literacy tutor and they made a cool turtle (see above) and were talking to their parent about getting a library card as they left.
• The first Storywagon is always a little iffy as I figure out the timing. It's also the first time my staff has done Library on the Go and the sudden explosion of ~600 kids was a little startling, although I had warned them. I collected more lost kids than usual, due to some of them opting to stay behind to watch the show finale instead of leaving with their class like they were supposed to!