Children's Services Meeting Minutes for December 2003

Date:  December 17, 2003

Location:  Village Library

Attendance:  Alma Brown, WA; Mary Strasner, DN; Karen Lehr, ED; Carol Hunter., ED; Dana Morrow, OUT; Heidi Daniel-Morgan, OUT; Lisa Wood, VI; Daniel Fields, BE; Rondia Banks, RE; Barbara Johnson, BI; Cheryll Smith, MC; Fran Harbert, DC; Carolyn Abernathy, S.O.; Nancy Lytle, MAC; Rachel Mosman, CT; LaVetta Dent, OUT; Mike Miller, PLA; Kelley Riha, OUT

Announcements - Dana
Dana gave a handout on Daycare workers and statistics for Oklahoma County, and stressed the importance of serving the children in day cares, because they are “at higher risk.” Dana will research the question “What does state ranking mean?” on this handout. Both Bethany and Belle Isle Libraries have helped sponsored training events for daycare workers.

Dana is checking into an idea or a sign or marquees that tells people what is going on in the library. Perhaps, it could say, “Today at your library….”
Summer Reading Online Survey Report, Mike Miller, PLA

Mike presented the Summer Reading Survey, and explained that conducting the survey online is easy to tabulate and cost effective. The first day online in “CyberMars” there were 100 responses. This method is not a random sampling, but provided 726 surveys. One conclusion is for more “tween” (children age 10 and 11 or 5th and 6th grades) programs.

Materials, Janet Brooks, MSL
Janet was not able to attend, but sent a handout of puppets that are available for purchase from Penworthy.

Young Adult Services, Heidi Daniel-Morgan
The teen summer reading theme for 2004 is “Urban Legends.” The sign up prize will be a small radio.

Summer Reading 2004
The theme will be “Summer of Champions.” Prizes will be baseball tickets, theater tickets, and medals. The Summer Committee is still meeting and discussing the starting date, etc.

Performances: There are eight weeks of performances. Lucky Penny Players start the week of June 7 and will perform for two weeks. Outreach will handle the 6 weeks of Neighborhood Arts. MLS will cover week 7, and for week 8, LaVetta will arrange for Michael Corley to perform at the libraries, but each agency will pay for the performance out of their budget.

Writing Contest Report, LaVetta and Alma Brown
LaVetta handed out a “Report of Entries” that showed the schools and libraries where participants attend. We had 569 total entries compared to 196 for last year. There were 390 entries in the Short Story category, 88 entries for Illustrated Short Story and 81 entries in the Poetry Category. Attendance for the winners’ workshop with author Darlene Bailey Beard was 27 students, and the awards presentation was 28 students.

Alma Brown asked for discussion for improving the writing contest for next year.

1. Judges write comments to the winners that can be read at the awards presentation.
2. During the awards presentation do not have an author’s presentation or only offer a very short presentation. The Author can encourage the children to write and discuss how parents can help their children develop their skills.
3. Request postcards that tell teachers “our writing contest is coming in the fall” be mailed at the end of the school year.
4. For the awards presentation have a MLS commissioner, an administrator and author present the awards.
5. Request that a list of winners (to display) be distributed to all the branches for posting.
6. Again, use the children’s meeting to cut the number of entries down to a manageable number for the judges.
7. Author workshop was very successful.
8. Next year order children’s book week t-shirts for prizes.

Retreat Plans, LaVetta and Lisa Wood
The location has not been confirmed. Lisa Wood presented the idea of having a potluck and everyone bringing a dish related to a book. A request was made that everyone bring examples of their fliers.

Share Time
Carolyn (SO) began our discussion of professionals for Parent/Child Workshop. The use of the group activities using a parachute with two play therapists, Pam and Dan, for the very last session was encouraged. Other professionals that were recommended were dentists, vision workers, and pediatricians. Dana suggested a retired medical doctor, Bill Conking. Others mentioned that March was Dental health month and to check with the Dietetic Association.
Other recommendations for Parent/Child Workshops are using Clorox wipes to clean toys. Have a bucket for everything that goes into the mouth. Karen Lehr offered to gather more information.

Fran (DC): Because of Crayola’s 100th year anniversary, she offered story times based on the major colors (one color a week), and a birthday cake to celebrate at the beginning.

Karen (ED) presented their “American Girl Tea Party,” and a discussion of tea parties followed. Karen provided fresh flower, a fancy table and sugar cubes, and she gave a primer to tea party manners. Girls were encouraged to bring their dolls. Pamela Kosted lent teapots for this event, and they had adults serving at each table. They rent a nice urn to heat the water from. A bookmark craft was provided. As the children leave Karen talks to each child thanking them for coming. Others recommended that tea parties are fun and popular programs. Offer “Bring a Grown Up to Tea.” Ask for donations of old cups and saucers.

Alma (WA) discussed “Read for Prizes” with a historical theme offered in December and later this summer.

LaVetta and Heidi (OUT) described the joy of presenting at the Juvenile Correction Center on Classen and 63rd. The center needs books, bookshelves, once-a-month programs, etc. The young people were very interested in the book talks. Heidi said they were more receptive than a regular class.

Daniel (BE) Susan Scott, an artist listed on our Intranet for acting and children, presented a program where the children made masks and acted out the story. The program was limited to 15 participants, and Daniel said it was excellent.

Daniel also described their exhibit of Native American Games. The Humanities Council required partnering with an adult librarian and providing a related adult program. The exhibit helped promote class visits to the library. Another exhibit that is available is about the great depression that could be tied to high school curriculum.

Barbara (BI) had Elia Woods, present “A Taste of Weaving.” She recommends her, and said that every child left with something they made. (Limit in class size to 15.)

Mary (DN) asked for a discussion on how to cope with crowds that are bigger than a meeting room will allow. There will be a limit of 137 in the new Downtown Library building. This is a dramatic reduction from the current number. It was decided to have an email discussion.

Mary recommended Karole Stout who presents historical stories with life-sized panels . Her programs include. black history, famous presidents (Lincoln), and Lewis and Clark. (May is the 200th Anniversary of Lewis & Clark setting out on their expedition.) She costs $100 for 45 minutes.