I fully intended to write a blog to follow up my Kiddie Cafe, but I ended up writing an article for OCLC's WebJunction website. You can read it here: http://webjunction.org/news/webjunction/ifought-the-ipads-and-iwon.html or watch for it in their April newsletter the Crossroads. I will work on a follow up article that will share more personal tales of working with the children and parents as well as deciding apps.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If I even help one person from the frustration I felt when trying to set up an iPad on display from out of the box, it was well worth it.
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Appy iPads: Kiddie Café
The project I manage for
months began with a desire to replace a kinderloft. To replace a much
beloved, but non practical, structure with something children would
enjoy just as much. I volunteered for the project because I wanted to
get rid of the kinderloft
and I enjoyed working on the reference floor reconfiguration. Using
some of my knowledge gained from my child development degree was a nice
bonus.
Although it seemed like it would be an easy project it seemed to take on a life of its own. I ended up working with vendors and companies, several different library departments, and learning to roll with changes which included complications, timing for signs and staff, budgets, and more that was unpredictable.
It took me awhile to figure out what to do for the children's area and I asked staff for their opinions. I wanted to make sure I knew what the problems we already had for the youth services area and what improvements we could easily make. One practical solution was to set up a space that was a little bit bigger just for children. And another concern was that we wanted to include a Wii station for teens, but wondered where the best place to put it would be. I learned a lot from this project especially to be patient, to seek the advice of others to gain knowledge, but in the end hard decisions must be made with the best information possible.
Although I have worked with vendors and companies before, this is first time I was able to contact and get pricing for items as a staff member working for Rapid City Public Libraries. I enjoyed picking out individual pieces and figuring out what additions we could add to excite children. Our staff was very excited to see a change but at one point there was a thought to put in large steps. The step idea had staff wonder about concerns whether or not it would be too loud, how much it would cost, or if it was even practical at all. The steps were then surely scrapped and a better idea emerged- kiddie cafe.
An idea sprang about from a co-worker's recent visit to an urgent care clinic. There at the clinic were iPads for children to use while they waited. Once this idea came together I was able to work quickly with facilities and a contractor. It was amazing to see ideas I drew on paper come to life. The finished product was even better than I imagined. Children loved the wall desk even before we put in iPads.
The next phase after getting the iPads was setting them up. I'll continue my story soon with iFought the iPads and end with stands and displays.
Although it seemed like it would be an easy project it seemed to take on a life of its own. I ended up working with vendors and companies, several different library departments, and learning to roll with changes which included complications, timing for signs and staff, budgets, and more that was unpredictable.
It took me awhile to figure out what to do for the children's area and I asked staff for their opinions. I wanted to make sure I knew what the problems we already had for the youth services area and what improvements we could easily make. One practical solution was to set up a space that was a little bit bigger just for children. And another concern was that we wanted to include a Wii station for teens, but wondered where the best place to put it would be. I learned a lot from this project especially to be patient, to seek the advice of others to gain knowledge, but in the end hard decisions must be made with the best information possible.
Although I have worked with vendors and companies before, this is first time I was able to contact and get pricing for items as a staff member working for Rapid City Public Libraries. I enjoyed picking out individual pieces and figuring out what additions we could add to excite children. Our staff was very excited to see a change but at one point there was a thought to put in large steps. The step idea had staff wonder about concerns whether or not it would be too loud, how much it would cost, or if it was even practical at all. The steps were then surely scrapped and a better idea emerged- kiddie cafe.
An idea sprang about from a co-worker's recent visit to an urgent care clinic. There at the clinic were iPads for children to use while they waited. Once this idea came together I was able to work quickly with facilities and a contractor. It was amazing to see ideas I drew on paper come to life. The finished product was even better than I imagined. Children loved the wall desk even before we put in iPads.
The next phase after getting the iPads was setting them up. I'll continue my story soon with iFought the iPads and end with stands and displays.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Loud @ Your Library: Programs, Creative Promoting, and Family Nights
I have been working on an idea to provide inexpensive or free entertainment for family night at the library - a time where people of various ages can get together to learn and play new games; a night when people can be “Loud @ Your Library” with a four week rotation that includes the following types of family game nights:
1) “Board games @ Your Library,” where everyone plays board games like: Sorry, Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, etc. , based on the National Gaming Day @ your Library (November 12, this year; see: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/gaming/ ). More information is listed below under children’s programming ideas.
2) “Card night @ Your Library” with a focus of peer based style of teaching: each on teach one. The adults teach other adults, the children teach other children. This includes games such as: Gin, Euchre, War, Go Fish, and for toddlers, a matching card game. (Poker is not recommended since gambling or other issues might arise). Other quiet paper games are possible, like Tic-Tac-Toe or even popular games such as Magic: The Gathering. This week can have groups separated by skill levels, allowing parents time to spend with their children or with other local adults.
3) “Playground night @ Your Library”: here, the main focus is games that require movement but not many additional resources such as: Red Light/Green Light, Mother May I?, Simon Says, etc. Local cultural or social groups could be included to teach hand clapping, cheerleading, or stepping to the patrons. Red Rover might not be acceptable, but Four Square, Hopscotch, and Double Dutch or jumping ropes could be considered.
4) “Video Game Night @ Your Library”: an employee or patron may bring in an appropriate video game that is meant for multiple players to enjoy moving and teamwork such as: Wii’s Mario Party. The audience would be toddlers to adults. The initial outcome would vary, depending on how well the night was planned and organized and if enough people were interested in participating. Librarians should be prepared for problems that cannot be avoided: arguing (need rules of use for video game night), people leaving children and not staying (under a certain age, child must be accompanied by an adult), and other problems that relate to local community that the library already might already be trying to address.
Expected outcome: this type of program could provide a night when families can laugh and enjoy time together, a time for patrons to make new friends, an increase in the number of people who return on an non-game night, a chance for the library to inform the community of other ways the library can benefit the patron, and the community could feel closer through learning old favorites and new games that stitch cultures and generations together.
Success would be measured not only in the number of people who show up for the event but also if the amount of materials being checked out rises or if there is an increase in memberships. Marketing is very important to the success of this program.
Four innovative ideas for children’s programming.
1) Same Story/Different Story. Read The Three Little Pigs and then read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Or read Little Red Riding Hood and then Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood by Mike Artell. There are many variations to the same story, usually from different cultures. A great way to discuss the differences and understanding that there are different points of views.
2) Board @ the Library. Where everyone plays board games like: Sorry, Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, etc. , based on the National Gaming Day @ your Library (November 12, this year; see: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/gaming/ ). Or playing card games with a focus of peers as teachers: each on teach one. The adults teach other adults, the children teach other children. This includes games such as: Gin, Euchre, War, Go Fish, and for toddlers, a matching card game. (Poker is not recommended since gambling or other issues might arise). Other quiet paper games are possible, like Tic-Tac-Toe or even popular games such as Magic: The Gathering.
3) LOL @ the Library. The main focus is games that require movement but not many additional resources such as: Red Light/Green Light, Mother May I?, Simon Says, etc. Local cultural or social groups could be included to teach hand clapping, cheerleading, or stepping to the patrons. Red Rover might not be acceptable, but Four Square, Hopscotch, and Double Dutch or jumping ropes could be considered.
4) Pirate Party. Especially good for “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (September 19 this year; see: http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html). Bring out the pirate and buccaneers books (and movies) and get ready for some fun.
Three creative ideas for promoting a library and/or children services.
1) Create an icon that will grab attention and place in local community- at church, daycares, grocery stores, and local attractions that parents and children visit. Children are able to understand that the double arches for McDonalds symbolizes the location and fond memories before they can say the word “McDonalds”. By creating an icon (preferably with some information “See you @ Your Library”) will draw curiosity as well as provide memories and acknowledgement.
2) A survey hidden as a prize. Ask that children from the age of 5 to 12 write to your library and tell the library what they would like at the library and why. Free suggestions, possible out come of the idea being in place. But implement local community by the prize fitting in the community. Free passes to local theaters or restaurant (preferably) not owned by a chain.
3) Bookmark contest. Children or Teens come up with an idea to create a bookmark that implements something in the library that they hadn’t known before. Such as: audio books, reference desk assistance with tough homework questions, etc.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Audio Books: Lists for the Free, the Paid, and if You Can Find it at Your Library
With people leading busy lives and driving further to go to work, the rise for audio books has increased. There are classics, new fiction dramas that have several people reading like a radio drama, educational lectures, and even children's books. Since I had a positive response for my blog about Podcasts, I decided to create one for Audio Books.
I listened to Eragon by Christopher Paolini when I drove from Baton Rouge to my hometown in Michigan, which made me feel like I had a someone with me as I drove. For many people audio books help them past the time or learn something new. With the use of children stories, some people who are ESL (learning English as a Second language) are able to hear the words as they read along.
But it can be confusing to find free sources and those that require people to pay for audio books. I have created two lists below that allow you to choose free or paid sources, however, both may require you to create an account. Please read any instructions about joining and which devices the audio book can be downloaded onto or listened on. Sometimes a special software will need to be downloaded.
Many local libraries have OverDrive, a distributor, which allows them to lend audio books to patrons. Those that do lend audio books will explain in detail how to set up an account with the library online, which devices that you can use, formats available, lending policies, and further assistance. If your library does use OverDrive, there is a guide you can watch (that requires Flash) on your computer called, “Download Digital Media- Guided Tour” from OverDrive’s website. Remember to speak with your local library to see if they have audio books available, or use this link to search libraries in your area that use OverDrive.
For those of you that do not have a public library that allows you to download free audio books and ebook, check to see if the Digital Bookmobile will be in your area sometime this year. The Digital Bookmobile travels around the US and, “is a community outreach vehicle for public libraries to promote downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video. Developed inside a 74-foot, 18-wheel tractor-trailer, the nationally touring vehicle is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades.” Click here to see a calendar for current and future appearances.
This is by no means a complete list of websites, please feel free to search for your own. And don’t forget publishers, such as those listed on LearnOutLoud.com’s Publisher Pages, “This is the full list of audio & video learning publishers & retailers that we currently have pages for. These pages range from covering the audio book section of many major publishers to the small publishers of content in specific learning categories. You'll also find rental and digital download services that you can subscribe to or purchase from.”
Free Audio Book Links
A long list for free Audio books and ebooks for Children can be found here.
“The AmblingBooks.com site is brought to you by the creators of the Ambling BookPlayer: iBookTreasures. As avid audiobook fans, we are dedicated to making audiobook listening easier and more enjoyable for everyone.”
“All audio books on BooksShouldBeFree.com are in the public domain. This means that no one holds a copy right on these books and therefore anyone including BooksShouldBeFree.com is free to distribute them.”
“Browse the Net's largest Catalog of educational audio books,podcasts, downloads, & free audio & video. Over 25,000 titles from hundreds of authors and publishers.”
- Free Audio Books for LearnOutLoud's Members book list.
“LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release the audio files back onto the net. Our goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books.”
“Our Philosophy: If there's a free audiobook or eBook out there we hope to be able to point you to it. Our philosophy is to try and find you a free version over any pay versions on the market. Our ultimate aim is to provide a one stop shop for all the audio and electronic books out there and make browsing, searching, and downloading those books as easy as possible.”
“NewFiction offers a library of audio books that are performed by multiple actors. We call them iSoaps. Consider them modern-day radio dramas.”
“Open Culture editor Dan Colman scours the web for the best educational media. He finds the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & movies you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.”
- 225 Free eBooks: Download Great Classics for Free.
“The term podiobook was coined by Evo Terra to describe serialized audiobooks which are distributed via RSS, much like a podcast. Listeners to Podiobooks.com can choose to receive the episodes of their books via an RSS feed or by listening to episodes by directly downloading episodes from this site. Some listeners keep the audio files on their computers, some transfer the book to CD, but most transfer the file on to their MP3 player so they can listen no matter where they are,” (from their FAQ page) includes modern genres as well as classics.
“Project Gutenberg makes audio eBooks available for some of the same great literature available in plain text. Our listings are divided into two categories: Human-read and computer-generated audio books. These files can be very large, so are not well suited for people using a modem or other low-speed connection.”
- For for ebooks from Project Gutenberg, click here or read my blog about free ebooks.
- Browse By Category: Audio Book, human-read.
- Browse By Category: Audio Book, computer-generated.
Free audio stories for children. From classics to original, fairy tales to education, or young children (junior) to those learning ESL- this website had a large variety to please children as well as adults. “Our latest audio stories including totally original stories and tales that we have adapted from around the world”. A new story is available every week.
“Our journey has always been one of making classic literature available to anyone willing to listen, and now in this next phase, to expand our scope to include more thinkers, writers and essayists.”
Paid Audio Books
“The AmblingBooks.com site is brought to you by the creators of the Ambling BookPlayer: iBookTreasures. As avid audiobook fans, we are dedicated to making audiobook listening easier and more enjoyable for everyone.”
Audible- (owned by Amazon.com) with more than 85,000 audio programs.
“Come join the millions of listeners who've discovered a new way to receive the entertainment, information, and knowledge they seek. In addition to audiobooks, we're home to magazines, radio shows, podcasts, stand-up comedy, and speeches from icons who shape our culture, politics, and business world. We feature the best narrators interpreting books by top authors.”
“Browse the Net's largest Catalog of educational audio books, podcasts, downloads, & free audio & video. Over 25,000 titles from hundreds of authors and publishers.”
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