Childrens Services Minutes - August 12, 2020

• Take home STEM kits from SMO and Art Museum were great, and customers enjoyed choosing when to complete the activities 

• ED tends to run out of prizes quickly, but people seem happy to receive something regardless 

• Staff appreciated simplified format, and the one-level system and direct mailer were helpful additions to make it easier on everyone 

• The direct mailer was great, but it was a weird size and printing was difficult  

• Direct mailer was great it was a weird size to print to get it to fit on 8.5x11 paper 8.5x11 paper; increased accessibility for people who may have not participated in summer reading before 

• Customers were unhappy with lack of communication in regards to links for SMO videos 

• In reference to SMO kits, several of their staff were on quarantine and they had issues achieving their deadlines 

• Continuing kits would be helpful and beneficial 

• Provided kits via curbside if not picked up  

• Enjoyed watching storytimes due to not usually being to get around to other libraries in person 

• Still looking for volunteers for fall storytimes and other EC programs  

• With current staffing, will be providing about 1 storytime per month – providing captions on storytimes via YouTube closed captioning with Margo editing  

• Add your name to the original content spreadsheet for How To Videos, Craft Videos, Storytimes, etc 

• Chris Stofel is working on CH’s involvement in virtual Haunt the Hill event 

• Hispanic Heritage Month & Dia De Los Muertos – possible virtual author visits in mid-September 

• Storytimes with people from indigenous communities, written by native authors 

• First Tuesday morning for every month for as long as we have volunteers and permissions 

Tote Bags 

• Show customer tote bag when offering prizes 

• Customers thought bag was too small, easier having the same prize options for all ages 

• Construction of bags isn’t ideal for a lot of library books, color options could improve image 

• Picture of the bag next to book choices on prize pickup sheet 

• Pandemic issues - had to go with generic image vs. Themed 

• Metro masks as a possible prize option for next year if we’re still wearing them 

Neighborhood Arts 

• Certain ones translated better virtually than others 

• Online engagements picked up from 3-7 PM every day except Tuesdays b/c storytimes @ 9:30 AM 

• Friday evenings were best for most active follower participation 

• Next summer – even if in person, thinking about providing some streaming options 

• Tour of the library – highlight building, staff, community 

Drawing Prize Feedback 

• Water painting mat for EC was well-received 

• Grand EC prize – backpack of instruments, Melissa and Doug shopping center, water painting mat, winner loved prizes 

• Parent feedback from last year – kid stopped reading after receiving device, so we wanted to switch to something more age-appropriate 

Heidi Port, DVS 

• Children Reading to Dogs – virtual since April 

• Very well-received, 14 readers last week 

• Staff reports that’s it’s really fun, cute, and an easy program to do 

• Mark said to talk to your supervisor about shifting schedule around if need be, and that telework could be an option 

• Staff is needed on Thursday evenings – about an hour, especially in September 

https://metrolib.sharepoint.com/:x:/s/epd.steering/EY5N3MzqnoJAgo7DQSr1fiMB_qBTjVXW5uyhAGvSOKvuig?e=86fBdn 

• BE is using volunteers for virtual Rocket Readers for 3 hours on Monday evenings with 2 teams of volunteers 

ALSC Conference - http://www.ala.org/alsc/confevents/institute 

• October 2-3, 2020 

• EPS is hoping to have funds for people to register 

• $75 for non-members, $50 for members 

General Updates 

Smart Start and Early Birds 

• Flyers will be sent out soon 

• Virtual sessions this fall 

1000 Books Before Kindergarten 

• Not short on any supplies 

• Keep promoting to customers  

123 PWM  

• Staff-created content in September for highlighting benefits of play and giving tips for caregivers based on different themes 

• Art Discovery, Infant Play, Dramatic Play, Puzzles & Manipulatives 

• Posted to Social Media in September 

• Virtual 123 Sessions in October, 1 session per week based on Nutrition, Speech & Language, School Readiness, possibly Music w/ Miss Ginger 

• Formal sessions with presentations from resource professionals (recorded) with Q&A at the end with option for anonymous questions 

What’s Going on at the Libraries (Grouped by library/dept.) 

Almonte  - Amy Upchurch 

• Weekly take home kits for age groups, no registration 

Belle Isle  - Katherine Hickey 

• Moved into temp space 

• Trying take-home kits this fall 

Bethany  - Edie Daniel 

• Rocket Readers w/ volunteers 

• Elementary school contacted BE about library cards  

• Take home kits were popular – advertised with flyers 

• More all ages/family-oriented kits 

Capitol Hill  - Gloria Melchor 

• Including craft kits in curbside bags 

• Summer Reading numbers were low, but participants are picking up prizes 

• Working with 2 media specialists to figure out interactions with students  

• Prerecorded storytimes, take home kits, etc.  

Community Libraries  - Shana Lancaster 

• Testing different programs 

• Kits that don’t require technology 

• Month-long program 

• Kits with a Zoom element 

Community Libraries - Ashley Smith 

• Fold with Me Origami program – hyrbrid of take home and Zoom session 

• Instructional videos for take home kits 

Community Libraries - Mary West 

• Interested in what other libraries are doing for EC programs 

Community Libraries - Scott Garrison 

• Using the next few programs to gauge customer participation and engagement, will modify from there 

• Budding Naturalists – September weekly program via Zoom with different crafts and activities related to nature 

Del City - Breanna Salszeider 

• Josh’s Science Camp was super popular and they received more engagement during the program than they thought 

• Reaching out to local LMS and planning a kid’s art contest 

Downtown  - Chelsee Bumann 

• Take home kits have gone well  

• Please consider working Paranormal Fest – lots of opportunities, esp. For spooky storytimes 

• Zoom storytimes with daycare 

• System-wide vs. DN programming 

Downtown - Abby Stout 

• Planning for fall soon 

• Working with schools via Zoom & curbside 

• Hiring 3 youth positions in September (1 Children’s Librarian and 2 HT YESIIs) 

Edmond - Andrew Patton 

• Local spirit days – pirate, silly hats, Hawaiian 

Edmond  - Marc Pezzell 

• Video tour of the library and new carpet 

Edmond - Brittany Logan 

• Zoom storytimes starting in Dec 

• Virtual book club in the work 

Midwest City - George Tocco 

• Storytimes and Mother Goose on the Loose 

• Teens – Escape Rooms 

Northwest - Heather Kitchen 

• Will share planning document – themed months for kits 

• Teen and adult kits have gone over well – 15 for Teens, 20 for Adults  

• Filled up w/ waitlist 

Northwest - Tess Botkin 

• 2 kits per age group per month, planned out through December 

• 40 people on registration list 

• 1 kit per family restriction 

• Posted in LibraryMarket every Sunday 

• Teen kit was advertised in NPR 

• Difficult to plan far enough in advance 

• EC - Make Your Own Monet – ripping up paper 

• Keep kit simple 

Northwest - Robin Miller 

• Take home kits – 2 per week 

• LMS questions - how can libraries inform their students about Metro’s digital resources (Emily responded with info about systemwide outreach that is planned) 

Ralph Ellison - Kimberly Francisco 

• New children’s librarian starts Aug 24 

• Take home kits are hugely popular – weekly, by age group 

• Includes everything needed 

• Full participation over the summer for programs 

• Summer Reading went well overall 

Southern Oaks - Cheryll Jones 

• Jessica Morris & Kristin Lankford put together Shark Week crafts and related reading lists 

• Beginning crochet kits for adults 

• Talk Like a Pirate Day – pirate dress up via curbside and themed craft kits 

• EC – trace your hand and use a pipe cleaner to make a flower craft 

• Play “Celebration” and wear silly hats for prize pickup 

Village - Sally Gray 

• Twice a month take home kits during summer – 25 for each age group 

• Teens were less popular, adult was more popular 

• Moving back to 1 a month 

• Music with Miss Ginger – not as many families have signed up as expected 

• Photo album with specific amount of inventory – printed pictures, prevents kids from getting disappointed when they see a book they missed out on 

Warr Acres - Alma Brown 

• Possible storytime for older kids and beginning readers – showing different book series with related book bundle  

• Warr Acres Science Program  

EPS  

Emily Williams 

• Emily + Kristine are working on system-wide outreach for digital resources and how schools can take advantage of them 

• Reminder that the Virtual Engagement Programming Best Practices document exists 

• OKC Story Slam has been going well on Facebook Live 

• Sequoyah Book Talks have been going well – all spots have been claimed 

• Share planning information on Children’s Sharepoint for everyone to access 

Teresa Matthews 

• Reached out to schools back in the spring, but information contacts are hit or miss on trickling information down to the rest of the staff 

• Please send updated contact information if you have better knowledge of who will distribute information on mass outreach pushes 

• Read it Forward books will go into stock for next year’s giveaway and outreach books 

Jessica Gonzalez 

• Celebrating Spoticus’ birthday with virtual dance party 

• Birthday is August 29th (day the library was founded) 

• Reading lists with Spoticus’ favorite things 

• Drive-by birthday party 

• Historical content and Spoticus’ origin – Buddy Johnson 

Public Services  

Mark Schuster 

• Will be in Curbside phase for a while 

• Larry White is working on document with specific things that will make us go forward or backwards in phases to prevent reactionary decisions