Morgan SalleeCraighead County Jonesboro Public Library

Thinking Outside

morgan@libraryinjonesboro.org

the Library

CCJPL

• Main branch of the Crowley’s Ridge Regional Library system

• 7 smaller branches• Craighead and Poinsett Co.• Service Population: over 100k

CCJPL

• Summer Outreach2012: 57 Programs

1,628 Attendance2013: 474 Programs

7,787 Attendance• School Year Outreach

2012: 61 Programs3,610 Attendance

2013: 285 Programs11,716 Attendance

• Current School Year Daycare Program50 Centers

89 Monthly Daycare Storytimes

1,420 Kids/Month

Why Outreach?

• “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves…”

(ALA Library Bill of Rights)

• Services for infrequent or nonusers & the underserved

• Increase visibility in and engagement with the community

• Create new users/supporters

• Take the library to the patron

• Know YOUR reasons

Know your community

Demographics and needs• Small city surrounded by rural areas• Economic drivers (education, healthcare, manufacturing,

agriculture)

• Lower than average unemployment rate• Higher than average poverty rate• Significant income and education gaps• Lower than average rankings on NAEP

scores (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

• Lack of positive after-school activities for K-12 students

What can we do?

• Identify groups with the most pressing need. Who can benefit most from our services?

• Take the library to our patrons

• Cultivate relationships with local nonprofits, churches, schools, and other organizations

• Early Literacy efforts

• School-Age Programs (during and after school)

• STEAM-based community engagement (all ages)

Where are you now?

CCJPL Children’s Outreach, 2012• Library Card Sign-up Program

• School Visits (parent nights, author visits, SRC promotion)

• SRC- Traveling Storyteller (57 programs/summer)

• Dr. Seuss’s Birthday

• Back-to-School Fair

Start Planning

• Potential Partners

• Have realistic goals• Who, What, Where,

When and Why

• Make a plan

Identify Potential Partners

• Schools• Childcare Facilities• Community Organizations• Summer Programs• DHS

Who?

•Choose Carefully

•Staff or

Volunteers

•Provide Training

•Focus on Quality

•Evaluations &

Feedback

Convincing the Decision-Makers

• Do your research• Know your stuff• Who, what ,where, when, & why• Funding (how much, sources)

• Graphs & numbers• Know your decision-makers,

what are their goals?

Daycare Program

• Traveling Storyteller Program

• Monthly Storytime Visits• Books in a Bag• Year-Round Reading Program• Parent Nights• Early Literacy training

School Outreach

• SRC Promotion & Booktalks

• Parent Nights/ Family Fairs

• Library Card Sign-up• School Visits• Author/Illustrator Visits• Supplemental Collections

Teen Outreach

• Card Sign-Up• School Visits• Author/Artist Visits• SRC Promotion & Booktalks• Crafting @ Lunch• Book Discussions @ Lunch

Branches

• Programs• Training

In The Community

• Fairs/Festivals• Mall/Parks• Movie Theater• Nature Center

Summer

• Traveling Storyteller Program

• Childcare Facilities (including school-age)

• Branch Libraries

• Off-Site Programs: Parker Park & Mall

• Significant Expansions

Invite Them

• Special Programs• Field Trips/Tours• Workshops

Costumes

Quality Programming

•Everything you do represents the library

•Be proud of your

product

•Volunteers

•Evaluation

Traveling Storytellers

• Volunteers or staff

• Full 30 min storytime

• Stories, songs, games, & movement

• Leave crafts & fingerplay sheets

Starting the Program

• DHS for Child Care Facility Directory (capacity, ages served, contact info)

• Set parameters (#s, frequency of visits)

• Contact Centers (availability & limitations)

*Excel Spreadsheet

• Map out your centers

• Assign day/time*Monthly Schedule (W1M, W1T, W1W…)*Calendars

Interest Postcards

Welcome Kit & Gifts

• ECRR Information

• Services for you, brochures

• Books in a Bag list

• My business card

• Storyteller’s Background Check

• Thank you letter and gift

Themes

• Daycare’s curriculum

• Make your own themes

• Monthly (weekly in summer)

• Variety is YOUR friend

• Have back-up books, stories, songs, and games

• Be sensitive about holidays

Storytime Components

• Introduction

• Opening Song (consistent)

• Books

• Storytelling

• Flannelboard Stories/Counting

• Songs (traditional and new)

• Movement (favorites and new)

• Fingerplays

• Counting, Colors, Letters, Sorting

• Games (Books, flannelboard, etc.)

• Leave craft and fingerplay sheet

• Closing song (consistent)

Know your Audience

Tell Stories

• Books, variety

• Flannelboard

• Puppets

• Props

• Classics

• Have kids help

Fingerplay Sheets

Music/Movement

Games

• Matching Game

• Guess Who- Books

• Sorting

• Rhyming

• Colors, Numbers

Crafts/Experiments

• Logo goes on everything• Leave instructions w/ a picture or a sample• Provide everything but the basics• Volunteers• Age appropriate, avoid choking hazards

Pinterest is your friendwww.pinterest.com/morgansallee/

Market the Library

• Introduce Yourself

• Posters

• Bookmarks, promotional material

• Parent Nights

• Put your logo on everything

• Library Vehicle

• Uniform

Potential Issues

• Staff burnout• Cancellations and Rescheduling• Someone Forgets• Lack of Communication• Holidays/Themes• Variety of ages• Illness• Background Checks, fingerprints• Know any rules or policies

The Binder

• Schedule• Contact info• Maps• Notes• Place to record

stats and notes• Mileage Log

Evaluations & Review

• Storyteller Evaluation

• Postage

• Feedback from Storytellers

• How are we doing?

• Changes

The Reward

Contact

Morgan Salleemorgan@libraryinjonesboro.org

http://www.slideshare.net/morgansallee