Newsletter Topics 

2012 FLYP Program

FLYP-PER: Programming for Early Readers 

Programming Ideas for Children and Families

T&T: Dynamic Teen and Tween Programming

Snippets 

Innovate and Inspire

Announcing.....  

Quick Links

Florida Electronic Library 

Florida Memory Project 

Florida Library Training Calendar    

Summer Reads 

By signing up for a CSLP website account, youth services staff have access to more resources not included in the CSLP manuals.  

Making Storytime More Teachable Through Simpler Vocablulary

Read the School Library Journal's article: A Running Start: We're Excited About the Latest Programs for Very Young Readers. The authors, librarians from the Multnomah County Library in Oregon, promote the recently revised Every Child Ready to Read @your Library, 2nd edition.  

Instead of focusing on the six early literacy skills, which many youth services staff and parents considered daunting, the updated program highlights five research-based practices - talking, singing, reading, writing and playing - activities that develop prereading skills in children from birth to age five.  

Live Clue Game

Submitted by Jonathan Dolce, Maitland Public Library

 

I based my teen program on the popular board game Clue, but I made it Live Clue.  

 

The game setup was cheap but took time and required a large room. To set the stage, our auditorium has a linoleum tile floor, each tile being a square foot. Using colored masking tape, I mapped out the floor of the auditorium to be identical to the Clue game board's rooms inside the mansion and outlined the squares for the game pieces to move. Then I added life-sized furniture to each of the mansion's rooms. I also recreated the game cards, increasing the size of the game cards to 8 x 11, and issued clipboards to the players to hold their clues.  

   

My trip to the Goodwill store yielded inexpensive costumes and accessories for each of the six players in colors that matched their character names: Miss Scarlet, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Reverend Green, Mrs. Peacock and Professor Plum.  Our local police station donated evidence tags and fingerprinting accessories that added to the experience. The players used life-sized weapons for the game's markers - quite literally I gathered a big plumber's wrench, a cap gun (with caps!), a thick rope, a dagger (a plastic sword that I cut down to dagger-size), a lead pipe and a massive brass candlestick holder. The above photo shows all of my game props.   

 

The game play was identical to the original game except that live players replaced the markers. I played a butler who was their game host and I ensured proper game play. In the photo above, I'm holding a candlestick with a large foam die; after a roll, the players would move one tile at a time, just like in regular game play. Also in the photo is Kristen Arnett, my assistant, who was Ms. Scarlett, and Dylan, Brianna and Emily, who are also in costume and holding their game cards.

 

Half the teens had to wait their turn to play the game. While waiting, they played some board games, watched the Live Clue game and enjoyed eating pizza and drinking soda.  

 

The game winners all received a Clue game and all other attendees/participants simply won the right to eat and drink all of the refreshments. 

 

Sounds like fun? It was!  

 

Note: This program fits in well with the CSLP's Own the Night Chapter 9, "Crime and Death."

At the winter carnival, ice skating (above) and ice fishing (below)

Winter Carnival

Flagler County Public Library's recent Winter Carnival featured events such as penguin bowling, snowball throwing, cookie decorating, ice skating, crafts and face painting. According to Sharon Fiske, the teen coordinator, teens help with the annual winter carnival, plus a bunny program, a Harry Potter theme party, a Spook-tacular and Santa's Post Office. See more photos of the various carnival activities.  

Fundraiser   

One of our biggest (if not our biggest) annual events at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library (St. Johns County Public Library System) is the Friends of the Library's Third Annual Antique Appraisal Showcase. Last year the event drew over 500 people!  ~ Anne S. Crawford, Youth Services Librarian, and Teen Volunteer Coordinator    

It only takes a snippet of your time to forward your news and happenings to Patricia.  

An Idea to Save on Performer's Fees 

A performer recently suggested to me that I try getting local hotels to donate a night's stay. The hotel could be listed as a program sponsor without actually spending money. The performer would save the lodging expense and pass the savings to you through a reduced fee.  ~ From a youth services librarian's blog post 

Scholastic has a great service called Share What You Read that students can use to create and read book reviews online. Scholastic provides a simple form on which students can write and submit their book reviews. Students do not have to create an account to use the book review service.

Google Doodle Contest 

Between now and March 23, students in grades K-12 can enter the Doodle 4 Google 2012 contest to have their art featured on Google's homepage. As represented in the graphic above, this year's theme is "If I Could Travel In Time, I'd Visit..." Parents, teachers, or after school programs may submit doodles on behalf of their child or student. Encourage your families to make library-themed Doodles and they could win money for college. ~ Beth Yoke, Executive Director, Young Adult Library Services Association

YALSA Academy

The Academy is a free online educational video initiative with training videos on popular professional development topics for YA librarians, as well as other staff who work with tweens and teens. Videos include such topics as:

• Providing customer service to teens.
• Connecting teens and e-readers.
• Conducting a mock Printz program.
• Ideas for building a YA collection.

YALSA members and non-members are eligible to submit a video.  ~ Eve Gaus, Program Officer for Continuing Education
Young Adult Library Services Association

Florida Library Association's 2012 Conference

FLA's April 18-20 Conference for 2012 includes 12 youth services sessions. See the FLA website for registration information.