Some days are filled with tough lessons and other days are filled with multiple tough lessons. Not too long ago, I learned three brutal lessons in a few short minutes. Lesson One: Carrying popcorn in a 30 gallon hole prone bag is not the most efficient way to transport the snack. Lesson Two: A dropped gallon of apple juice does indeed roll downhill. Lesson Three: A librarian who is carrying a bag full of popcorn big enough to hold a corpse should not wear hot high-heeled boots and a tight skirt to chase a fast rolling apple juice bottle.
But, once the apple juice was retrieved and I followed the Hansel and Gretel like trail of popcorn from the middle section of my minivan through the library parking lot, up the stairwell, across the children’s area and into the community room, I was able to stop hyperventilating and rejoice in my return to library programming. After an almost two and half year break from planning and hosting library programs (due to an out of state move), I made my debut return to library programming by hosting a free Classic Movie Night featuring Yankee Doodle Dandy, which stars James Cagney in the role of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer and singer George M. Cohan
Unlike my diva days in my old job when I asked library assistants and circulation staff to do my room and equipment set-ups, I packed up tables, lugged out a multitude of chairs, painstakingly lifted audio equipment, scooped the popcorn into individual serving bags, poured juice and water into cups, and greeted audience members as they entered the room.
“Where’s the popcorn,” a snarly older man questioned.
I pointed him to the table of free snacks.
“Why do you only have juice and water? Have you ever thought of making iced tea and lemonade? And maybe you should offer Sprite too,” suggested a teenage girl who was forced to be there with her grandparents.
“I never thought that. Thank you for your suggestion. Please write it down on a comment card” I replied.
With full bags of popcorn in one hand and a beverage in another, the packed house of movie-viewers fidgeted in their seats with anticipation.
“Welcome. Thank you for coming to our library tonight. You have many choices for entertainment in this town, and we are always pleased when you choose to spend your time here with us at the library. Before I get started I just wanted to remind you to grab a calendar with our upcoming events on your way out. We have a full slate of events for Black History Month, starting with the African Drummers and Dancers that I will be hosting next Saturday. I hope to see you all there, and once again thanks for coming tonight. Take a moment to silence your cell phone and enjoy the show."
Lights out. Remote clicked. Blank screen. Dozens of eyeballs were staring at me and judging my competence. Quick switch from VHS to DVD. The movie began.
“Miss, could you please turn up the volume.
“Sure.
“Could you please turn down the volume?”
“Sure.”
This is the world of library programs—many people with many conflicting requests. A skilled programming librarian can make most of the crowd feel comfortable and welcomed (despite the discontents who attend just for the thrill of complaining). When the crowd is happy, they leave a program feeling great not just about the specific program but the library in general. And if they are especially pleased, they say, “Thank you so much. This was wonderful. I must admit I did not vote for this library, but now I want to tell everyone how great it is.”
For comments like that every program, I would happily chase apple juice downhill in heels for miles.
Showing posts with label library events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library events. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Gone Library Conferencing
Will my kids arrive to their games on time today? What will they eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Will the children be stinky when I get home? These are questions that I am not going to ponder today. They will be in their father’s care while I learn about a new community reference project that could enrich my library; hear about 21st Century Libraries: The Challenges and Opportunities; learn a few tips for Summer Reading; and, discover enough ideas to have a whole year of craft activities in my library.
Late, hungry, dirty kids -- Not my problem.
Late, hungry, dirty kids -- Not my problem.
Lunch and Shopping, Librarian Style
Beautiful white tablecloth covered with black linen napkins, sparkling white plates, beautiful crystal glasses and a ridiculous amount of silverware. Servers clad in black uniforms with somewhat robotic visages quickly clearing plates and replacing them with new ones. A delicious green salad with grilled chicken followed by a delectable, sinful, fluffy three-layer chocolate mousse on a petite dessert plate garnished with caramel in abstract forms. Not a single multi-purpose children’s menu and paper placemat in sight; absolutely no crayons on the table, not a single spill or mid-lunch emergency bathroom run. Civil small talk with grown-ups about libraries.
Following the meal, child-free forums on live music programs for libraries; how to offer training for free using cloud-based services; and how to implement a family literacy program. An entire notebook filled with words and not a single stick-figure drawing, heart or scribble anywhere on the paper.
Lots of learning followed by plenty of play. A little guitar hero for grown-ups, a plethora of chocolate, hors d'oeuvres filled with ingredients that only adults would eat; tons of free stuff strategically labeled with the names of book vendors and library furniture companies; and, a booth filled with a variety of librarian t-shirts.
A full belly, an enriched mind and a new black, long-sleeved bling t-shirt that says “Librarian” in clear and red rhinestones. A great day in a child-free zone known as a library conference.
Following the meal, child-free forums on live music programs for libraries; how to offer training for free using cloud-based services; and how to implement a family literacy program. An entire notebook filled with words and not a single stick-figure drawing, heart or scribble anywhere on the paper.
Lots of learning followed by plenty of play. A little guitar hero for grown-ups, a plethora of chocolate, hors d'oeuvres filled with ingredients that only adults would eat; tons of free stuff strategically labeled with the names of book vendors and library furniture companies; and, a booth filled with a variety of librarian t-shirts.
A full belly, an enriched mind and a new black, long-sleeved bling t-shirt that says “Librarian” in clear and red rhinestones. A great day in a child-free zone known as a library conference.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
More than Just Clowns, Jugglers and Storytellers: The Impact of Library Programming on Communities
“Thank you. Thank you so much. You have given my mother something to remember. She forgets everything. She doesn’t know what she ate for breakfast 20 minutes after she finished. She only knows my name sometimes,” said the worn woman in her early-sixties who took her eight-three-year-old mother to special library programs monthly.
“But, she remembered your program. She remembered the stories that the lady told last month. She told them to me," she said wiping the tears from her eyes as she recalled her mother’s reaction to “Stories for the Second Half of Life,” a storytelling program geared towards senior citizens.
As she told me her anecdote, I fought back a few tears too. I lost the battle with my emotions, but later rejoiced in the idea of transformative library programming – programs that impact and changes lives.
Since that day, my goals as a library programmer have shifted away from having huge attendance numbers to implementing programs that entertain and enlighten in meaningful ways—programs that ultimately influence and enrich the lives of participants with information or entertainment. Granted, life-changing programming cannot be achieved with every library event. Sometimes it is just about hiring a puppeteer, a storyteller, a local humorist or a jazz guitarist and hoping that scores of people will show up and write a few nice remarks on a comment card on their way out of the community room. Simply put: Bodies in seats equal high numbers to give administrators and library boards; high numbers equal happy administrators; happy administrators equal more funding to create more programs to put more bodies in the seats. This is the cycle of library programming. Attendance numbers dominate the planning and implementing of most library programs. Unfortunately, a number-driven agenda for both library programs and summer reading does not necessarily promote the high standards necessary for quality, relevance and long-term impact.
A passionate, committed library programmer or programming committee creates a balance between well-attended programs and quality programming that attracts participants and ultimately satisfies them. Effective and pertinent library programming reaches the pulse of the community, attracts typically underserved demographics, and impacts all ages (infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary school age kids, tweens, teens, adults, and seniors). Library program coordinators succeed when the public chooses the library consistently as their destination for exceptional free programming that entertains and informs them, ultimately bringing a touch of happiness and joy into their lives.
To foster successful programming, I implement the strategy that I call value-added library programs. With value-added programming, popularity and audience appeal are considered but in conjunction with the quality of the performer or speaker; the affordability of the performer as well as cost reduction options like grants or multiple show discounts; community demographics; patron satisfaction; the promotion of the library’s collection in relation to the program topic, and opportunities for community partnerships. There is a lot more to library programming than hiring a blue grass band with a cool name and posting a few signs around town. Planning great library programs requires staff to learn the community’s wants and needs; find affordable performers or speakers who can satisfy audience demands and market events in innovative ways that capture the imagination of the community and propels them to visit the library. Once you have a captured audience, you can introduce them to other library products, services and upcoming programs for all age groups. Fantastic programs lead to not just high program statistics, but higher entry gate counts, increased circulation and a spike in computer and database usage both remotely and in-house. Library programs can and should be a solid cornerstone for your entire library system.
Author’s Note: For two wonderful years, I had the most amazing and dynamic job as an adult library program coordinator until an abrupt out-of-state move two years ago caused me to leave my job in the middle of the summer reading program, which for a programming librarian is like an accountant leaving his job in the middle of tax season. Fortunately, I was able to transition into a position as reference librarian but without the programming responsibilities. Now I am thrilled to report that I will be planning library events again as part of a library programming committee. So, there is no doubt I will write additional posts about library programming. Of course, these posts will be completely incongruous with my excessive commentary on Prince and his ridiculous business decisions, so please forgive me as juggle my dual role as competent programming librarian and obsessive Paisley Park commentator.
“But, she remembered your program. She remembered the stories that the lady told last month. She told them to me," she said wiping the tears from her eyes as she recalled her mother’s reaction to “Stories for the Second Half of Life,” a storytelling program geared towards senior citizens.
As she told me her anecdote, I fought back a few tears too. I lost the battle with my emotions, but later rejoiced in the idea of transformative library programming – programs that impact and changes lives.
Since that day, my goals as a library programmer have shifted away from having huge attendance numbers to implementing programs that entertain and enlighten in meaningful ways—programs that ultimately influence and enrich the lives of participants with information or entertainment. Granted, life-changing programming cannot be achieved with every library event. Sometimes it is just about hiring a puppeteer, a storyteller, a local humorist or a jazz guitarist and hoping that scores of people will show up and write a few nice remarks on a comment card on their way out of the community room. Simply put: Bodies in seats equal high numbers to give administrators and library boards; high numbers equal happy administrators; happy administrators equal more funding to create more programs to put more bodies in the seats. This is the cycle of library programming. Attendance numbers dominate the planning and implementing of most library programs. Unfortunately, a number-driven agenda for both library programs and summer reading does not necessarily promote the high standards necessary for quality, relevance and long-term impact.
A passionate, committed library programmer or programming committee creates a balance between well-attended programs and quality programming that attracts participants and ultimately satisfies them. Effective and pertinent library programming reaches the pulse of the community, attracts typically underserved demographics, and impacts all ages (infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, primary school age kids, tweens, teens, adults, and seniors). Library program coordinators succeed when the public chooses the library consistently as their destination for exceptional free programming that entertains and informs them, ultimately bringing a touch of happiness and joy into their lives.
To foster successful programming, I implement the strategy that I call value-added library programs. With value-added programming, popularity and audience appeal are considered but in conjunction with the quality of the performer or speaker; the affordability of the performer as well as cost reduction options like grants or multiple show discounts; community demographics; patron satisfaction; the promotion of the library’s collection in relation to the program topic, and opportunities for community partnerships. There is a lot more to library programming than hiring a blue grass band with a cool name and posting a few signs around town. Planning great library programs requires staff to learn the community’s wants and needs; find affordable performers or speakers who can satisfy audience demands and market events in innovative ways that capture the imagination of the community and propels them to visit the library. Once you have a captured audience, you can introduce them to other library products, services and upcoming programs for all age groups. Fantastic programs lead to not just high program statistics, but higher entry gate counts, increased circulation and a spike in computer and database usage both remotely and in-house. Library programs can and should be a solid cornerstone for your entire library system.
Author’s Note: For two wonderful years, I had the most amazing and dynamic job as an adult library program coordinator until an abrupt out-of-state move two years ago caused me to leave my job in the middle of the summer reading program, which for a programming librarian is like an accountant leaving his job in the middle of tax season. Fortunately, I was able to transition into a position as reference librarian but without the programming responsibilities. Now I am thrilled to report that I will be planning library events again as part of a library programming committee. So, there is no doubt I will write additional posts about library programming. Of course, these posts will be completely incongruous with my excessive commentary on Prince and his ridiculous business decisions, so please forgive me as juggle my dual role as competent programming librarian and obsessive Paisley Park commentator.
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