Monday, October 5, 2009

Children's Update: West Columbia

More than seventy people came to preschool storytimes in September. We heard stories about libraries, grandparents, fiesta, autumn and apples.

We held a special Grandparent-Grandchild movie day in September to celebrate Grandparent’s Day.

We’ll have a teen movie on October 24 and a Halloween pumpkin contest on October 28.

Melissa, branch manager

Children's Update: Sweeny

We had a special visitor the first week of preschool storytime as Lotta Buttons the clown visited and read to the children. Then we had a special storytime for Grandparent’s Day. The last half of the month was about when I grow up and what children could be when they become adults. We told stories about being a teacher, firefighter, and wrapped it up with all kinds of choices.

Toddler Time themes were up, down and opposites.

Teen Book Club had four in attendance, and we discussed “The Hound of Rowan” by Henry H. Neff. Everyone liked the book and was ready for the sequel. We are reading “Wicked Lovely” by Melissa Marr this month.

Bedtime Stories was about houses.

We had a special craft of making grandparent’s day cards for Sweeny House.

Kid’s Club had a spy day. We had a laser maze to crawl through, a disguise contest, targeting bad guys and a treasure hunt with clues.

In October, our preschool storytime themes are princes and princesses, knights and ladies, kings and castles, and a medieval dress up party the end of the month.

Kid’s club will be doing arachnids with a guest speaker and craft.

We received a bilingual Charlie rug for the children’s area, a new table and chairs in toddler size, and a new rack to hang our book cassette bags on. We also got a new computer desk for the children’s computer.

Leslie, branch manager

Children's Update: Pearland

Our preschool storytimes this month were about grandparents, safety, dinosaurs, friends and apples. For grandparents, the children created cards for their grandparents and were very creative. During the safety storytime, the children learned how to use the 911 system. Laura found a coloring page that had a drawing of a phone which emergency numbers could be written onto. We handed out lots of safety-related brochures, pencils and bookmarks. The children made their own dinosaurs out of toilet paper rolls for our dinosaur storytime. Our friends craft was to color a paper chain of friends. The children decorated their own paper apples for our apples storytime. More than 150 people attended preschool storytimes in September.

On September 16, we had our Teen Henna program. This was our second time to have this program this year. The teens and parents enjoyed the different types of designs that they could create. One of the young ladies was having so much fun that she wanted to get the information on where we had purchased our supplies. She has decided to have a henna party for her upcoming birthday.

Regina is now heading the Tween Book Club which meets on the second Friday of the month. In September we read “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry. We didn’t have quite as many attendees as we hoped, but we understand there may be timing issues with school. Our selection for October is “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeline L’Engle. We are hoping that the participation will increase.

On September 24, a group of 14 children visited us from Primrose Daycare. They enjoyed storytime with us.

We are looking forward to the upcoming Toddler Time starting in October. This will be on every Monday at 10:30 a.m. and will end the last Monday in November.

Laura, children's specialist

Children's Update: Manvel

One hundred thirty-five people came to our preschool storytimes this month. We discussed libraries and told stories, sang songs, and read a poem about the library. The children got to make their own bookmark. To help celebrate Grandparents’ Day, we listened to stories about grandparents. The children made cards to send to their grandparents. For our apples storytime, we talked about the different kinds of apples and all the things you can make with them. For the craft we made a worm coming out of an apple puppet. The next week we sang songs, read stories and celebrated fall. We glued fall colored leaves in a pile on a piece of construction paper. Finally, we exercised. We had a lot of fun reading about exercise. We had a color sheet of a hippo running for the craft.

Five teens attended the Teen Read meetings this month, and we even got a new member. We had a good discussion on some new books, as well as some old favorites. At our next meeting, we talked about books that are being turned into movies and which ones we were looking forward to seeing.

We also had five teens at our PlayDoh Sculptionary event. We had a lively game where the kids formed teams and sculpted the clues out of PlayDoh. We followed the rules of Pictionary. It was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, no one came to our pajama night storytime. We hope we have an audience next month.

Three children were at our craft time. We made stained glass bookmarks out of construction paper and tissue paper. The children had a lot of fun.

Tiger Scouts from Troop 488, Den 1 and Den 9 visited the library for a lesson on the Dewey Decimal System. I gave them a tour around the children’s area and showed them examples of how the Dewey Decimal System works. They had a good time, and many of them got library cards before they left.

Geri, children's librarian

Children's Update: Lake Jackson

“Be A Contrary Kid” and doing things in unexpected ways is the new theme for preschool storytime. We began exploring the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, in no particular order, while emphasizing the six early literacy skills that form the basis of reading and writing. We explored the letters B-A-C-K-F, and each child received die cut letters and handouts to make their own alphabet book. In October we are going a little wild with the letters W-I-L-D.

The monthly teen gaming program, You + Me = Wii, returns on October 3. Also, watch for something special for National Gaming Day on November 14.

Fifteen children signed up for the Readers Circle Book Club for grades 1-3 in September and read “My Big Dog” by Janet Stevens. Dominos Pizza is providing pizzas for the book clubs again this year. For October 20 we are reading and discussing “One Potato, Two Potato” by Cynthia DeFelice.

The Bookaneers Book Club for grades 4-5, which meets on the second Tuesday of the month, read “Savvy” by Ingrid Law. On October 13, we are discussing “Found,” the first in a series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Mehndi/Henna Tattoos will be available on October 30 for ages 12 and over. Signed permission slips from a parent or guardian are required for minors to participate. Farah Habib and some friends will be designing and applying the tattoos.

The Lake Jackson Library will participate in the Lake Jackson Intermediate School Open House on October 7. Please stop by and say “hi” to us.

On October 27 during storytime, we will have our annual Trick or Treat ’rade on City Hall. Wear your Halloween costumes.

The 24th Annual Book Swap starts November 1 when children can start bringing their gently-used books to the library and receiving “book bucks” in exchange. The “bucks” can be redeemed December 5 for newer books.

The annual Dragons Readers Club will meet December 30.

A bi-monthly Readers Club for grades 6-8 will begin in January. Interested readers should contact the children’s librarian for more information.

The two display spinners that were dropped off on our loading dock during the July 4 holidays have been painted and now hold our children’s DVDs. Thanks to whoever left them there!

Susan, children's librarian

Children's Update: Danbury

Due to staff illness, Nick has become a frequent reader at preschool storytime. The children enjoy him.

The Wii program is growing, especially on Thursday nights. We had a young man bring his girlfriend recently. She whipped him at tennis.

We will be offering our holiday craft day at two different times. Hopefully, this will be easier for our patrons.

We still read to a daycare one day a month.

The Danbury Library celebrates its ninth birthday in October. A library anniversary party will be held on Oct. 31. We will have costumes, treats and more.

Kandy, branch manager

Children's Update: Clute

We have had 12 to 14 children attending Wednesday morning preschool storytime. They are enjoying the alphabet theme. We are continuing to provide die-cut crafts at every storytime. The younger children love the gluing and shape identification. The older children color and add backgrounds and details.

A teen knitting program is scheduled for October 12 when school is out.

Pre-kindergarten children from Ogg Elementary walked to the library on September 16. The teachers provided me with their curriculum ahead of time, and I used their themes for their storytime. We did colors and shapes in September and we will do families in October.

Elementary children will get to do crafts on October 12.

We have requested a fire truck for storytime on October 7 in recognition of Fire Prevention Week.

We were able to purchase a large group of die cuts in September. I chose items that would complete our alphabet crafts but also have use for holidays and other thematic units. My favorite is a new bookworm. We will put the children’s first names on them for wall displays for storytime. We were also able to purchase new wooden puzzles for the children’s area and lots of new “people puppets” for storytime and other programming.

Carolyn, branch manager

Children's Update: Brazoria

We have begun a new series for preschool storytime, “All About …” The first week was apples, and we made an apple counting book. Next came bears with a bear lacing card. We celebrated Mexican Independence Day on September 16 by reading “Magda’s Tortillas” by Becky Chavarria-Chairez. Our clerk, Magda, helped the children make their own tortillas which was great fun. The adults enjoyed it as much as the children. PBS provided the DVD for our “Dinosaur Train” storytime. We watched one of the series’ episodes which is broadcast regularly on PBS. The children really enjoyed the show. The last theme was “All About Cats” presented by Carmen, our clerk, as Ms. Jo was on vacation in Colorado.

We have been having a lot of interaction with a new crop of teens now that the new school year has begun. We hope to have some great programming for them soon.

Headstart has moved it’s classrooms to Sweeny, so I no longer have the opportunity to read to them. I’ll miss the students.

We are looking forward to storytimes, bedtime stories, and movies about fall, harvest and Halloween. We are also planning a pumpkin decorating contest for October.

Jo, children's specialist

Children's Update: Angleton

Preschool storytime is using the Everyday Day in Every Way curriculum this year. In September, storytime themes were self-esteem and the five senses. In October, the weekly themes will be friends, feelings, fall and Halloween.

Our first Teen Wii event brought twenty-two people to the library. They did not want to leave. We are trying the next one on a Saturday morning to see which time is better. In December, we will try it on week night.

Sixteen people attended the Family Movie Day.

Angleton Christian School (ACS) has scheduled to bring classes to the library. A group of seventh and eighth grade students from ACS came September 22. Miss Emmy demonstrated how to use the library catalog and Internet. She then helped them get started on science fair projects.

The Early Childhood Center will start bringing classes the second Tuesday of each month beginning in October.

Miss Emmy is reading ghost stories to the Retired Teachers Association on October 2.

The next Kids Kraft will be October 6. We are making balloon eyeballs and spiders.

Family Movie Day will be October 24.

Teen Wii will be on October 31.

Angleton ISD has begun bringing students for vocational training from the high school. They are shelving books under the direction of an aide who comes with them. They stay about 30 minutes each time.

The new AWE computer came in this week. Mark and Layna set it up. Children flock to it after school and after storytime.

Emma Lou, children's specialist

Children's Update: Alvin

More than eighty people attended preschool storytimes this month. We talked about dinosaurs, manners, hats, autumn and exercise. We had quite a workout during our exercise storytime and made construction-paper hats during the hats storytime.

Teen Gamers Guild has regular attendance now that everyone is back from vacations.

Alvin Elementary special needs class came in for a tour.

We will have a movie night on October 8 and a Fall Extravaganza on October 29.

We are rearranging furniture in all areas of the Alvin Library.

And, now, an anecdote:

I had a conversation with a young patron while her mother was getting a library card one day. The two of us talked about the books she chose, and she said, “Oh and by the way, you have really cool books!”

When she went to check out the books, she told the clerk, “You don’t have to go to school to learn. You can just come to the library!”

It’s moments like these that remind you how important the library is to people.

Carol, children's specialist