Community Outreach Division

"Reaching Out for Readers"

presented at the Indiana Library Federation Conference

April 9, 1999

Kathy McLellan, Johnson County (KS) Public Library

"Books to Grow" program won Innovations Award for innovative government programs

showed video presenting program
daycare workers receive 15 hours of training, while hairdressers receive 1500 hours of training
Award developed by Ford Foundation for government programs
in 12 years, only 2 libraries have won
given for innovation, efficiency, effectiveness, and the ability to be replicated

Johnson County Library

county system
12 branches
350,000 population
19,000 preschool-aged children in some form of child care

Vision for Youth Services:

Youth of Johnson County will be excited about reading, learning, and libraries because of the efforts of the Youth Services Staff at Johnson County Library.

Mission:

The Johnson County Library Youth Services staff will instill an appreciation of libraries, reading, and learning by:

Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for Youth visiting the library
Providing interesting, well-prepared library programs and services to people in the community
Staying informed about the library's collection, technological capabilities, and literature
Participating in the lives of Youth in the community through schools and community organizations
Becoming active learners and continuing to seek professional development in their field

Outreach Goals:

provide service to those unable to visit the library (This means going where they are, developing partnerships.)
provide equal access to quality service that reflects basic library services
make children, their families, and child care givers aware of library as a valuable resource

Community Assessment for Developing Youth Outreach Programs

borrowed from Managing Library Outreach Programs by Marcia Trotta

population of community you serve
percent of that population that is your target audience (age ranges)
Where do those children spend their time?
- home
- child care center
- preschool
- Are there transportation issues?
How many child care centers? Preschools?
Family characteristics
- size of families
- single parent families
- teen parents
- workforce
economics or income
What is already available in your community?
cultural background
trends in the community

Youth Outreach Advisory Committee

convene committee twice a year
composed of teachers and directors from Head Start, Parents-as-Teachers, preschools, child care centers, and home care providers
did survey of child care providers
staff visit centers: story, library promotion
centers visit libraries
develop partnership
provide resource & referral to child care providers for parents
packaged learning centers: KITS
agencies train their staff in how to use

CURRICULUM KITS

2 tubs
topics: color, circles, transportation, self-concept, etc.
15 books each, including poetry
manual explaining:
- why theme was chosen
- what's included
- how to use
- skills being developed
overheads
manipulative toys
agencies (United Way, etc.) track checkouts, count pieces, and store tubs

Smaller Kits: BOOKS TO GROW

talked to advisory committee
looked at other programs, like Cuyahoga County (OH)
ordered books that will stay in print
smaller kit contains:
- 5 books
- 1 audiotape
- 1 videotape
- folder with activity ideas, additional titles, songs, & fingerplays
- evaluation
- 1 bag from Janway
currently using manual reservation system
planning to make multiple kits for branches
whole kit has one barcode and bibliographic record
use 3-week loan period, although many agree to return in 2 weeks
volunteers check kits in and out weekly and check pieces
small number of items makes checkin easier
volunteers send out postcard reminder to next person on reserve
amazingly low loss rate; do charge fines and bill for lost/damaged items

MARKETING

do an annual mailing to agencies
binder located at eacch branch with activity pages included for xerox
promote at conferences and workshops

FUTURE PLANS

deposit collections at sites: "Mixed Bags"
contains 40 paperback books
- 15 picture books
- 25 juvenile fiction
- include a list of titles
use for summer reading programs at daycamps: staff can xerox list and each child can check off titles read

Please send comments or questions to:

dilgerh@monroe.lib.in.us
Jeannie Dilger-Hill
Monroe County Public Library
(812)349-3050 ext. 2059

Indiana Library Federation Annual Conference

November 18-20, 2008

0
DAYS

0
HOURS

0
MINS

0
SECS