Children's Services Meeting Minutes for April 2008

Date:  Wednesday, April 2, 2008 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location:  Edmond Library

In attendance: Kelley Riha (OUT), Mary Strasner (DN), Sheldon Beach (DN), Melissa O’Neil (VI), Kristin Williamson (MC), Emily Williams (OUT), Daniel Fields (BE), Joan Shelton (CH), Carol Hunter (CT), Lisa Wood (OUT), Alma Brown (WA), Fran Harbert (DC), Carol Hunter (ED), Mary Ann Johnson (ED), Barbara Johnson (BI), Julie Ballou (MSL), Joanie Porter (RE), Cheryll Smith (SO), Dana Morrow (OUT), Heidi Port (DVS).

1:00 Lisa called the meeting to order, introductions were made, and the service principle of the day was discussed. She passed out links to the ODL Children and Young Adult websites (http://cya.oklibshare.org).

Author Tim Tingle is visiting our libraries and schools from May 6-8. Copies of his book Crossing Bok Chitto will be given away.
Child abuse prevention day is April 8th. Several librarians and other children’s advocates will be visiting the Capitol and talking to local legislators for this event.

Lisa showed the group the $5 off summer camps coupon provided by Science Museum Oklahoma. This is a new sign-up coupon for both children and teens during Summer @ the Library.

1:15 Lisa distributed information from PLA. She talked about ways to incorporate music into story times that she learned about in a session entitled Clap! Play! Sing! Shake! Lisa passed around handouts from the Hennepin County library system, and then talked about a session called “Dangerous Ideas: What If...?” The wiki for that session is at http://whatiflibs.wetpaint.com. Other PLA handouts can be downloaded from http://www.placonference.org/handoutspage.cfm. Lisa read Not a Box and encouraged the librarians to think creatively.

1:20 The 1-2-3 Play with Me fall schedule was passed around. Heidi Port offered to help the libraries find volunteers to help with the program as needed.

1:30 Heidi Port discussed the summer volunteer timeline. There is a timesheet demo on the Intranet to help train staff on how to complete and submit the new timesheets. Heidi read Arthur’s April Fool and highlighted the characters’ True Colors. She mentioned the Supervising Volunteers True Colors training and how identifying and understanding volunteers’ colors will help their supervisors to provide the teens with rewarding activities and experiences.
Artists and presenters who do programs for free should be considered volunteers, and need to have adult volunteer applications, background checks, and timesheets on file.

Heidi recommended the book First Break All the Rules and the website www.dependablestrengths.org.

2:00 Break

2:15 Derick Brock (“Dr. Mad”) presented his Catch the Reading Bug program about mad science. His program is designed for grades PreK-6.

2:45 Julie showed the group how to make beaded items using string & pony beads.

3:15 Sharing

Lisa – World Neighbors/Junior League/MLS partnership will have several of our libraries hosting cultural literacy programs for grades 3-6 about Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Mary – wants a resource folder to give to parents for 123 Play With Me materials. Dana suggested www.uline.com.

Sheldon – Earth Day/World Neighbors program, creating art from recycled materials

Melissa – tax season is almost over!

Kristin – summer programs calendar, shared MC’s waiting sheets for restless children with puzzles, games, pictures to color, etc. Several libraries expressed

interest in using these.

Daniel – starting a reading to dogs program, will be planting offspring from the Survivor Tree. The idea of having a systemwide flyer for all the reading to dogs programs was discussed.

Emily – encouraged staff to contact OUT with any questions about Summer @ the Library

Joan – Ukrainian style egg-decorating program for all ages, after school table crafts

Carol R. – pigeon party

Alma – shared rabbit craft, said that MAC created a great flyer for her reading to dogs program

Lisa – is working with Emily to create book club kits for children and teens that the programmers will be able to borrow from OUT

Fran – is having Sherry Clifton as a guest at her playtime, talked about OLA SRRT raffle

Carol H. – clucking chicken cup craft

Mary Ann – Philharmonic program in May

Barbara – Boy Scouts visit, 3-D glasses, BI is thinking about merging new children’s books with the rest of the collection

Joanie – spring craft at end of the month, African-American dance/drumming artists needed

Cheryll – had 21 families at evening 123 Play With Me program, including 4 dads

Dana – has Smart Start bookmarks for outreach purposes