Naturally Optimistic

For our 2020 Winter Reading program, there wasn't an overall theme. I decided to create my own theme. And the Penguins took over the library! I printed out real-to-life sized photographs of penguins...an Emperor, a Fairy, a Chinstrap and a Galapagos Penguin to be exact. I put them on the walls in one area. My hope was that kids would stand next to them and measure up - and they sure did! It put a smile on my face every time. Above each penguin I included some facts. Usually where they lived, what they ate and any quirky stuff about them. It's always great to be able to provide a little learning opportunity along the way. We also included penguin voting. I always think it's fun to add a pre-math activity when I can. I made 4 buckets with a photo of each of the aforementioned penguins. Kids (& adults) were able to ask for a "voting token" (ie: a saved bottle cap) at the desk and then put it in the bucket of their choice. It was fun hearing t...

My 'sample' yarn sticks and the calm before the storm. I work in a great place. A place of learning. A place of exploration. A place of inspiration & community. It makes me so happy when I get to plan something that brings a little bit of all of those together. One of my favorite most recent forays has been Crafternoons.  2 of 3 beautiful sticks a pre-schooler & her mother were working on. They planned on tying them together to make a mobile. This was so pretty.  Crafternoons is a aft/craft program aimed toward pre-school through elementary aged kiddos. I try to tie projects into a book, a specific artist but sometimes I just follow my gut & go with a project that looks fun & fits my budget (this project was essentially, free).  We made Yarn Sticks. I didn't know if they would like it. I didn't know if it would capture their imagination and I didn't know if it would hold their attention. But boy did it.  Kids & parents alike enjoy...

Wow - I guess I'm not keeping up with my storytime blogs. I will try to do better. I'm considering relocating these posts so I can share them with my Storytime crowd. We started by talking about SHAPES just a little bit as a precursor of the Storytime to come. I wanted to let the adults know that SHAPE recognition is very important as an early literacy skill and it is the beginnings of reading. We talked more about it throughout today's Storytime. The More We Get Together - song with signs Shapes that Roll by Karen Nagel/Illustrations by Steve Wilson This book was a lot of fun. We had a great time moving (a little) like the shapes or making them with our hands, talking about all the different shapes on the pages, and guessing some of the more unusual shapes. The bright colors & slight textures of this book make it a really eye-catching fun book to read. Next we read The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds/Illustrated by Julie Lacome. This took basic shapes ...

Look at that! I updated my 2013 reading list! Whohoooo! According to GoodReads I'm still 9 books behind for my 2013 reading challenge of reading 50 books this year (I've done 24 so far....) but whohooo! That's way more than in the past. I think working in a library works. It either works, or makes it WAY HARDER for me to stick with one book until I'm finished. Occupational hazard - I bring home waaaaaaay more books than I could possibly ever finish. I'm okay with that. :) (Maybe I'll update my movies/tv shows tomorrow. Who knows?! It IS a holiday weekend after all...and we all know how nerdy I am!) 

....just buried under books. Ah yes, I started my new job as a Library Technician a couple weeks ago. So far - it's great! It is amazing to work at a place that is philanthropic in nature; that promotes learning & research; that doesn't discriminate who has access to information. It is a whole different world that working in the corporate arena & I am enjoying it immensely. I am working in the Circulation department which in the most basic of terms is the place where you check books out. There is so much BEYOND that but I don't have time to get into it right now. I had no clue how much goes into running a library. No. Clue. But I am learning. I work at the main library downtown, but soon I will be working 2 days a week at the Mt. Royal Branch (my "neighborhood" library) and 3 days downtown. I think I will enjoy the variety a lot. It is also amazing to be surrounded by so many other people who love reading & books as much as I do. During one o...