COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND COLLABORATIONS
Manchester Public Library's Bookmobile - Manchester, NH
Photo: MPL
Manchester Public Library - Manchester School District - Manchester NH Community |
Ways to reach out and work together: |
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We have been working with the Manchester School district on my programs the past couple of years. We have worked together to keep kids reading during summer vacation as well as during the holiday. The library has been a stop on their Booked for Summer reading program for the past three years. It is a passport type program where kids are encourage to read in their favorite places as well as to visit sites around the city. They are encourage to get a library card when they stop by for their stamp. Last year, the library and school district joined together to bring back the Bookmobile. Wendy at the school district was a volunteer on the original school Bookmobile; it had been a dream to bring it back to the kids. Denise and I had been talking about ways to reach those kids who were unable to come to the library. It just made sense to work together to make this dream a reality. The Bookmobile was back on the road beginning July 2018 and it honestly has not been off the road since. The reaction from the public has been amazing; we have had so much support from everyone that we see it being on the road for a very long time. Wendy and I presented a program (about the bookmobile) at this year’s NHLA conference in Meredith. manchester_bookmobile.pptx We also do a lot of other outreach programs with other groups. The Youth Services staff, we have worked with 21st Century program, many preschools, Brookside Church summer storytimes, YWCA, Family Place Shelter, Boys & Girls Club, Head Start, Currier Art Museum, Fishercats, Mall of New Hampshire, and many more groups. We have done monthly storytimes, marker programs, craft programs, bringing the Bookmobile, or talking their families on the importance of reading, getting them library and knowing all the programs that the library has to offer to them at no cost. We have also partnered with a couple of the schools as well as Head Start on CLIF grants. Karyn Isleb Head of Youth Services Manchester City Library Manchester, NH |
C *See side story Underlined-Click on for linked story Book Box Vending Machine Book Clubs on the Move (example: public housing) Bookmobile* Cars and Coffee Program* Civil Engagement: Civic Lab Issues That Matter Let's Talk-local & global discussion series Cocktails and Coloring Community Garden-Seeds Community Themed Events* Let's Move in Libraries Katahdin Gear Library (KGL) at the Millinocket Bike Sharing in Fall River Placemaking-Project for Public Places Special collections & displays for the underserved and underrepresented* Story Walk or Poetry Walk Storytime-Adult* and Intergenerational* Veterans as Partners |
M.G. Parker Memorial Library, Dracut, MA - Dracut, MA Community
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In 2017, the Dracut Library put together, with community partners, a 20th anniversary celebration of Harry Potter. We worked with the Recreational Department, the Council on Aging, and the Arbors (a retirement community in town). We ran children's events throughout the town during the month, culminating with a Yule Ball held at the Council on Aging that was attended by grandparents, parents and children.
Some of the events that we held were: Dragon STory Time Harry Potter Trivia Hogwarts Bingo Meet Hagrid Pizza and Movie HP Week Scavenger Hunt Teen Harry Potter Party Diagon Alley Event and more! Story & Photo Credits to: Nanci Milone Hill Library Director M.G. Parker Memorial Library Dracut, MA |
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Reaching Out to underserved and underrepresented people in libraries.
Photo by Tanya Ricker, Youth Services/Assistant Director Pease Public Library, Plymouth NH
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During the spring of 2019, the NH State Library with funding from the Hesed Foundation was able to purchase the Welcoming Library collection from Kirsten Cappy DBA Curious City. This collection is a pop-up community conversation with picture books (complete with discussion questions) featuring New Arrival and New American families. Pictured above is the collection in its wood display case at its first stop in NH - the Pease Public Library in Plymouth NH. Tanya Ricker, Youth Services/Assistant Director stated the visiting collection was a success. The Welcoming Library is booked at various NH libraries until 2021.
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Adult Story Hour
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I am the director of the Jaffrey Public Library in Jaffrey, New Hampshire (www.jaffreypubliclibrary.org ). We are in a rural area, home to Mount Monadnock and serve a population of approximately 5,500.
Since I became director here in January 2017, my team and I have focused on reaching underserved, marginalized populations in the area, young and old. In the fall of 2018, we formed a new partnership with Monadnock Adult Care Center (MACC) (https://www.mfs.org/adult-services/ ). MACC provides respite day care for adults with physical, emotional or social challenges. Many of their clients are memory care patients and suffer from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Others are adult Downs syndrome clients. Our original idea was simple but has since grown into a weekly program that both the library team and the MACC team and clients look forward to as a highlight of the week. MACC director Chris Selmer and I started out with a simple plan to have a “library” in the Center – I would provide a permanent collection of Large Print books, and then bring over a rotating collection every couple of weeks, combined with an Adult Storytime. Library Assistant, Eileen Eber and I had previously visited a retirement home regularly in another community, but the idea of an adult story hour was new to us. With such a diverse group of clients at MACC, we weren’t sure what to expect. We were actually pretty nervous about it. What happened was magical. Our weekly visit to MACC has become a combination adult story hour and memory café, and we have developed relationships that touch our hearts and remind us why we are librarians. Our weekly visit starts out with my doing a brief book talk about what I have brought for the rotating collection. Many are authors they requested or topics they asked about. I bring over movies, audios and large print books or magazines, at a variety of reading levels. Sometimes they remember what they asked for – sometimes they don’t, but it doesn’t matter. Then Eileen reads something they remember from an earlier time in their lives. – We fell upon this idea when she first read Annabelle Lee and suddenly in the middle, certain seniors in the group began to recite it! So, she often reads poetry or stories that will be familiar or tap into a memory of long ago. Then I read one or two humorous children’s picture books that are totally new to them -- We don’t do it childishly but in a way that marvels at illustrations or taps into a flair for the dramatic. We have several men in the group that like to add to my story with sound effects! The Wolves in the Wall by Neil Gaiman was a real hit! Because some clients are hearing impaired, we use a microphone and that adds to the dramatic style, and both Eileen walk around the center of the group while we read, 20+ seated in a circle. As we have come to know the group and share stories, we discovered that some of them had a French background – so we have done a few bilingual stories. An exciting moment was one week when a client took over reading the French version of One Fish, Two Fish by Dr. Seuss while we read the English! For some of the memory care patients, the French was more familiar, a throwback to childhood, and a few who had never spoken during our visits were suddenly at ease and talking with us. Two in the group were artists so they enjoy our discussion of the illustrations in children’s books. Sometimes the stories lead to lengthy conversations between clients and Eileen and myself about things that happened in our childhoods or earlier in our lives – a favorite doll, a teasy brother, a shared school or travel experience. We tell them what kinds of programs we are doing at the library, and even bring over examples of the children’s artwork or photos of other library activities. The MACC staff tell us that our visit is a highlight for engagement for their clients. For us, reaching a group who are often overlooked in our society and sharing stories is a privilege. Julie M. Perrin, MSLIS Director, Jaffrey Public Library 38 Main Street Jaffrey, NH 03452 603-532-7301 www.jaffreypubliclibrary.org |
Photos by Monadnock Adult Care Center (MACC) and Jaffrey Public Library Staff, Jaffrey NH
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Intergenerational Activities
Generations United manual found at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/pushbullet-uploads/ujzNDwQrsR2-lwTZVh9XzpO2KpViVzhCua55IiDV0Dyg/tried%20and%20true.pdf
PennState Extension Intergenerational Activities Sourcebook found at : https://aese.psu.edu/extension/intergenerational/curricula-and-activities/intergenerational-activities-sourcebook
Shared site programs improve the mood and engagement of elders. Children have increased comfort around persons with disabilities and other elders. Both groups experience a greater sense of purpose.
Possible Challenges:
- Generational and Developmental Differences: Staff will need to be prepared to tap into the participants interest and expertise. They should also be prepared to discuss parenting practices because generational differences can contribute to how elders think children should behave. * No matter the differences, it should always be ok for an adult or child to choose not to join an activity.
- Scheduling: Dealing with snack times, naps and more can make finding an agreeable activity time difficult.
- Physical Space: It should be safe for small children yet appropriate for elders challenged by child-sized furniture. Watch for risks for falling with toys on the floor.
- Supplies: Provide one set of materials for sharing as it supports interdependence among participants.
Creswell Cars & Coffee |
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Su Liudahl, Library Director at the Creswell Library in Creswell, Oregon reports that their Cars & Coffee program is a hit! This low to no cost program not only attracts the guys to a library program but is classy and has high community visibility.
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