2015 Advocacy Day

Ride the bus to Albany on Wednesday, February 25th and meet with your State Legislators! We need all types of people to join us. Staff members (adult to YA), board members, Friends Groups and patrons. Price is just $10. This does include a snack! 2015 advocacy day flyer.pdf

Continuing education scholarships for 2015

Did you know that the Pioneer Library System offers Continuing Education Scholarships?  Attached is a copy of the application and a list of conferences that scholarship will be awarded for.  This is a wonderful opportunity.  Please take a few minutes and apply!

cont. ed scholarship application 2015.pdf

YSAC minutes 1.16.2015

Here are the meeting minutes from the Jan. 16, 2015 Youth Services Advisory Committee meeting.

YSAC 1.16.2015.pdf

Upcoming Meeting dates

Please take a few minutes and mark your calendar.  The following meetings have been scheduled.


Summer Reading Planning Workshop
Friday, March 6 from 9am - 3pm.
This workshop will be held at the Pioneer Library System.
More details to be announced soon.


Youth Yak
Friday, May 15 from Noon - 1pm
This workshop will be held at the Pioneer Library System
Topic:  5 minute story time ideas.
Leader: Sheila Koeberle

Tiny Tips for Library Fun

Here is a fun blog that you might want to check out.
This is written by a Children's Librarian in Wisconsin.

http://tinytipsforlibraryfun.blogspot.com/

Ipad at Sodus

Our patrons are definitely enjoying having the new i-pad in our children’s room in Sodus.   This picture is of one of our youngest patrons enjoying the i-pad with her mom.   They attend my toddler program where I have been sharing a new app with the kids each week and I try to mix in at least one story from the i-pad.   I’ve enjoyed finding songs and finger plays on youtube that I use to teach the kids as well.  It’s nice to show the video and take the pressure off of me to perform.  Parents have had a positive reaction to the ipad during story time and are always glad to see new apps to try out.  We ran into an issue with our ipad lock in December so we haven't been able to leave it out during the day much lately.  The ipad is definitely drawing in youth of all ages and we may have to look into getting another one for our teen space.   

~Roxanne : )                               

Miss Mary's iPad Adventure

I decided to introduce the iPad by doing a full-out digital storytime.  I had a Bluetooth speaker and purchased a Lightning to VGA adapter (thanks Anne and Adam for the technical advice!) to connect the iPad to our projector.  Figuring out the distances necessary for getting an acceptable image on the screen, and allowing enough room for an energetic story time and cord restrictions was a challenge!

I recorded a short introduction in Sock Puppets.  Thirty seconds is not much time to fit in Read, Sing, Write, Talk, Play.  I got a little better as I repeated the recording about ten times, but I ended up not using it.  I will continue to play with this app because I love hearing the voice modulations!

After my traditional opening song and a brief introduction to what I was planning and a five-question survey of the audience about technology in the home (Turns out they all had an internet-connected computer at home, and about half had an iPhone or iPad.), I read the book, Bob, by Tracey Campbell Pearson.  Then we listened to the sounds the animals made in the story using Animal Sounds.  The kids were delighted.  Especially when I accidentally played the Tiger sound!

We did a traditional felt board “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” and a recitation of “Jack Be Nimble.”  Then I showed them the Mother Goose on the Loose app version of “Hickory, Dickory” and “Itsy, Bitsy” Spider.

We used scarves to dance to a Laurie Berkner song, an activity that up to this time I have used a CD player for.

 

Then we read the book Planes using the Byron Barton App that I had purchased. I let the narrator read.  The toddlers were especially excited by the animation in the app.

I read the book, All Around the Kitchen, a book published by the folks at Music Together.  First I “read” it unaccompanied. Then I passed out shakers and we listened and danced to the downloaded song that was included with the book.

The story time ended with my traditional Goodbye song and bubbles.

I asked adults to take another brief survey, and they all indicated that they would try the iPad in the library. 

So, I survived, and so did the families.  The toddlers responded well.  Having two people would have been very helpful, given the cord restriction issues with the projector.  I don’t really have a setup that works well for projected images in story time.  I assured families that story time wouldn’t always include so much of the iPad, but that I would use it to enhance what we normally do, and it would be available for them to explore with their children.

Whew......

365 Days of YA

The Phelps Library had this posted on their Facebook page.  We decided to post it as well!

http://www.epicreads.com/blog/365-days-of-ya-a-2015-reading-calendar-infographic/

Best Picture Books of 2014

From: Reading Today Online, December 8, 2014

Each year bookstore bookshelves are filled with the latest and greatest picture books, and throughout the year many readers try to determine their favorites. Many of the titles contain eye-catching illustrations and deep messages, most that will attract readers of all ages. Some are the creation of perennial favorites, while others provide tantalizing evidence that a new artistic talent has burst on the children’s literature scene. This week’s book reviews of favorite picture books from 2014 from the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group include ones you may have seen reviewed earlier this year, but these are keepers. –

http://www.reading.org/reading-today/literature/post/books/2014/12/08/the-best-picture-books-of-2014#sthash.T7Pwy2fB.dpuf