Outreach Matters

At my current site, and with the ever so lean staffing in our libraries, I don't get out and do a whole lot of outreach programming. But I am committed to doing quarterly programs at the local Boys & Girls Club. This serves those children whose parents work and can't often get them to the library during the week. Going to the Boys & Girls Club changes up their aftercare afternoons and brings the fun of library materials to them. When I do weekday outreach gigs, I always remind the children that the library is open in the evenings and on weekends and that, hopefully, their parents can bring them to the library then. Sometimes I'll tell them that I'll be at my library on Sunday (I work every Sunday), and if they come in and say hello to me I'll give them a special bookmark. It has happened, and when it does, it makes my day. Yesterday was an Early Release day in the local school district, which means the kids only went to school for half the school day. I planned a special library program, in conjunction with the opening of the film, "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" (based on Judi Barrett's book), hoping to rope in some families with extra afternoon time on their hands. Before the program, several kids said "hi" to me and asked me if I remembered them from the Boys & Girls Club program when we did the "Miss Mary Mack" clap rhyme. Not only did they remember their last outreach program, but they found a way to get a parent to take them to the library for an in-house weekday afternoon program. Outreach does matter!