Big Groups/Small Groups

I like doing programs in a room full of children and caregivers. I also like doing programs in a room with just a few participants. Both scenarios provide enlightening experiences. In doing library programs for a crowd, I learn what "grabs" the audience and pulls them together. And we can all enjoy the exhileration that comes with a focused, resounding, unifying experience -- when everyone is together, singing or clapping or laughing at the same moment. In doing library programs for just a few children, I can better discover each child's unique personality -- his/her gifts and challenges, so that I can better direct activities toward individual needs. A small group allows me to literally and figuratively get closer to the children and celebrate each inimitable little spirit. So I'm thrilled when the room is packed for a program. It inspires me. And when the weather is stormy and there are just a few participants for a program, I am delighted. Both allow me to learn and grow and tweak and get better at providing library programs for children. At the library I am currently working in, I get both, which is nice. Sometimes it's a zoo, sometimes it's a tea party. It's all good!

Book Review

WE CAN'T ALL BE RATTLESNAKES (J Fic) by Patrick Jennings

Meet "Crusher," a snake who is caught and kept by an unsavory human boy named Gunnar. Crusher is the rare cold-blooded reptile with a surprisingly warmish heart. Misidentified as a "he," Crusher is actually a perceptive and s-s-s-s-assy female gopher snake with no intention of remaining in captivity. With the ability to communicate telepathically with Gunnar's other pet reptiles -- "Rex," a sarcastic alligator lizard, and "Speedy," a submissive desert tortoise -- Crusher learns to survive Gunnar's antics and begins to plan her escape. When a botched attempt lowers her status to that of Gunnar's other neglected prisoners, Crusher has time to ponder predators and prey, and to develp a bit of compassion for both -- for her slimy and also-neglected captor, Gunnar, and for her intended meal, "Breakfast," a nervous and ditzy mouse. How Crusher's compassion and perseverance enable her to cleverly return to the great and warm outdoors is a rattling tale of reptile heroics and human amusement. Even for those who despise snakes of any kind.

February Blur

Here it is, with only one more day left in February, and this is my first and only post for the month. Though February is a bit shorter than other months, it was also jam-packed with many and varied programs at my library, including an after-hours YA gaming program, a fun Valentine's craft program, several class library tours and, of course, the usual early childhood fare (Baby, Toddler, Preschool, and Bedtime Story Times). I also took an arduous, county-required, online training course and filled in at a "sister" library for Baby Time there one morning, which was worthwhile -- just to step into another space, make-do with minimal materials, and experience new and different children and caregivers. A temporary rut-reducing gig is very valuable, I think. It gave me the opportunity to use my skills in a different environment than I am used to, and to expand my notion of what works and what doesn't. It's all good. And it was the beginning of the new, regional program coverage concept that is being implemented in our library system due to, of course, budget cuts which have, ultimately, translated into front-line staff reductions. Oh, and I also turned 51 this month. I'm glad to be able to stay fresh in my profession. Working with children truly keeps me open to change and new ideas.

Lights out!

WHOOPS! The lights went out just before a Toddler program recently, due to a blown transformer. I opened the blinds in the program room and waited a couple of minutes to see if power would be restored. While I was standing and waiting, one of my toddlers walked over to my chair, patted it determinedly, and tried to say, "Sit! Sit!", but it came out like, "Shi, shi." Then she walked over to the door of the program room and tried to close the door, saying, "Clo, clo." Her mother explained to me that her little girl, Alina, wanted me to close the door (to a darkened room), sit in my chair, and begin the program. Little Alina was adamant about having her library time. I was touched by her enthusiasm, and urged on by the caregivers. So we all walked out to the main floor where there were partial lights still on, and we had our books, rhymes, and songs where everyone could hear. The little ones were really focused and happy, even with the disruption. And even without the musical instruments which are a usual part of their activities. It was a delightful, serendipitous experience!

Silent Hug

Yesterday, at my Baby Time program for children ages 12-24 months, I got down on the floor with the children, at the end of the program, and began handing out board books from a crate. One little guy, who is just barely able to walk and cannot yet talk, found his way next to me, put his little arms around me, and leaned his head softly into my shoulder. He stayed there for a couple of heart-melting moments. No words were needed. It was one of the biggest affirmations I have experienced since I began doing library programs for very young children.

Book Review

THE LEANIN' DOG (J Fic) by K.A. Nuzum

This is a moving story about 11 yr. old Dessa Dean's struggle to recover from the shock of her mother's recent death, and the friendship she slowly forges with a stray dog. Both Dessa Dean and the dog are injured, needy, and afraid. Dessa Dean hides her fears from her well-meaning father and tries to remain self-reliant each day when he leaves their isolated cabin to find food. When a skittish dog limps through the snow toward the cabin one day, Dessa Dean's heart softens and she yearns to nurture the creature. But it takes perseverance and her father's support to earn the frightened dog's trust. As that trust gradually develops, so does Dessa Dean's confidence and hope for the future. Like Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods, this tender tale unfolds in a simple, rustic setting where humble lives toil, love, and, ultimately, heal. Nuzum's LEANIN' DOG has all of the earmarks of a contemporary classic that is destined to touch the hearts of those who read it.

BETTER

I just finished the book, Better, and was inspired by this work by a surgeon (Atul Gawande) who is striving to find solutions to challenges in the medical field. But the book reaches beyond medicine and speaks to any of us who want to effect positive change in the work we do. In the last chapter of the book, Gawande offers "five suggestions for how one might make a worthy difference." The five suggestions are: 1) Ask an unscripted question, 2) Don't complain, 3) Count something, 4) Write something, and 5) Change. The last paragraph of the book pulls these suggestions all together in way that anyone can understand, appreciate, and possibly move forward with. It reads, "So find something new to try, something to change. Count how often you succeed and how often you fail. Write about it. Ask people what they think. See if you can keep the conversation going." It is with that spirit that I began and continue to write this blog.