New Non-Fiction Bedtime Stories

Most people think of bedtime stories as having talking animals, princesses, tractors that can talk or a blue cat with big white shoes.  While reading every day to your youngsters is important, it doesn’t have to be the same story books over and over again.  If you have a child who doesn’t like to read or be read to, try introducing non-fiction books into your bedtime routine.  The children’s department at Liberal Memorial Library just got in a whole lot of non-fiction books, a lot of which would make the perfect bedtime story.

Every kid likes gross things, and we just got the No Way series by Michael Rosen.  Learn about disgusting foods (for example, the world’s most expensive coffee – kopi luwak, which is basically kitty litter coffee) in Strange Foods.  Or learn about strange careers in Weird Jobs.  Who knows, maybe after reading this book to your son, he will become a manure inspector when he grows up!

I love, love, love Bedtime Math (and Bedtime Math 2) by Laura Overdeck.  It is so much fun for kids.  Plus, if you have more than one kid, you can read it to all of them at one time.  It will only take a few minutes to do one or two problems a night before bed.  There are three different math problems (each for a different age group) that are accompanied by a story (something that will definitely interest kids, like sharks, teeth falling out and ice cream).  These books definitely make math fun.  Oh, and the book even has the answers, just in case your math skills are a little rusty. 

Kids who like facts, records and oddities should check out the Ripley’s Believe It or Not series.  We just got 31 new books in the series.  Learn about amazing people, animal antics, or find out whether or not that was a good idea.  Each book isn’t too long, has great pictures, and facts that your kids are going to be talking about at the breakfast table the next morning.  I just read about a prison break in Mexico where the convicts spent months digging a tunnel.  It turns out that their escape tunnel came up in the local courtroom. 

Of course, no discussion of non-fiction would be complete without mentioning the new dinosaur books.  The Discovering Dinosaurs series by Jinny Johnson would be perfect for kids who are between five and eight years old.  Big, colorful pictures and big text make the book interesting and a really fast read.  It even tells you how to pronounce the names of the dinosaurs, so you won’t stumble over “yangchuanosaurus”.

For older readers, we just got in Cold Cases by Matt Anniss.  If you’ve ever wondered about the science of crimes and how detectives can solve old crimes, this book is going to answer some of those questions. 

Ok, and if you’ve read this far, you definitely deserve a super-secret tip on non-fiction.  A lot of the fairytales and fables that you know from a kid are actually classified as non-fiction.  So, if you are looking for Goldilocks and the Three Bears or Mother Goose, check in non-fiction. 

Every time that I walk down the non-fiction rows in the library, I discover something new that I want to read.   Plus, since we are always getting new books in, I don’t think that I will ever be able to read everything that piques my interest.  From animals to cookbooks, history and biographies, the children’s non-fiction section of Liberal Memorial Library has books for every child of every age.

                          

Mark Your Calendars – March 8th – Children’s Healthy Fun Fair

Pancake Day will soon be over and done with.  Later this week, you (and your kids) may feel like you have a spare tire around your midsection from eating 27 pancakes during the pancake eating contest.  While stuffing your face can be fun, I usually regret it and try to eat healthier.  This Saturday, you have a chance to learn everything about how to get and stay healthy in Liberal.  That means it is time for the eleventh annual Children’s Healthy Fun Fair.  

This year, the fair will be held on March 8^th from 10:00 to 1:00 at the Ag building at the Seward County Fairgrounds.  Just as in years past, the idea of the fair is to bring together all the organizations in the community who work towards improving the health of children and families in one easy place.  These organizations will be giving out information, giving tips and showing kids and their families through games and exhibits that being and staying healthy can be fun.

Since this is my first year doing the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair, I am really excited to see how it is coming together, and it is kind of amazing to see just how many organizations are working together to make this thing happen.   Of course, Liberal Memorial Library is going to have an area there (complete with Wii, so kids can dance, play and move to stay healthy), so stop by and say hello. 

Here’s how the Fun Fair works.  You walk in the door and you grab a bag from the welcome table.  You will probably collect so much information and giveaways from the tables that you need to make sure to have a bag.  Go around to each table, talk, ask questions, get information, and have fun.  Some of the tables have information, but some of them have games and demonstrations.  Once you get home, go through the information and try to use in in real life.  The goal of the Fair isn’t just to have fun, but to also educate the community and get them active and healthier.

You are probably wondering who is going to be there and what you can do.  Liberal Parks and Rec bring games for kids to play.  They take up a good part of the new section of the Ag Building with sports related activities that get kids moving.  USD480 comes out with different things for children to do.  They usually have their photo booth up and running, printing pictures out for the kids.  Southwest Medical Center will be there answering the question of whether or not you really wash your hands well enough, so if you think a quick rinse under cold water is enough, stop by and see how yucky your hands can really get.  SCCC Respiratory Technology brings in pig lungs to show how smoke can damage your lungs.  The Seward County Health Department and WIC will also be at the Fun Fair, so stop by their table and find out about the services that they offer.  Both Seward County and the City of Liberal are sending representatives from their police and fire departments to help families stay safe.  

There are so many more organizations that are coming, that I can’t name them all.  Plus, a little mystery might just want to make you go!  I promise that next year (after I have actually seen the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair in action) I will be able to describe what everyone does better.  But I can guarantee that families looking for something to do next Saturday will have a great time if they do attend.  

Play, Chat, Mingle. Repeat Four More Times – Family Place Library

When you think of coming to the library, you think about it being relatively quiet with a cranky librarian shushing you if you dare to talk any above a whisper.  If you come to Liberal Memorial Library on the evening of Thursday, February 27^th (and the following four Thursdays), you are probably going to notice that your ideas of the library have changed. 

Driving into the library, you will notice that it is busier than you remembered it ever being.  So busy that you may have to park on Kansas Avenue or on Sixth Street.  Once you get in the building you will see all the kids.  There are going to be a lot more children under the age of five at the library than normal.  The kids are at the library with their parents for the five-week Parent/Child Workshop for Family Place Library.  Now, when most people hear the word “workshop” they think of lectures, PowerPoint slides and boredom.  It’s kind of a shame that the word “workshop” is even part of the title, because it is anything but boring. 

The format is simple – the library brings out bunches and bunches of toys (so many toys that we have to move all of the furniture out of the children’s area).  Then, children and their parents play for an hour.  It’s a little different than just a play group because each week a different person comes in and mingles with the parents and answers any questions that parents have about their expertise.  They’ll answer common parenting questions, work to get extra help for families that need it and serve as a resource.  You can ask as many questions as you want, or you can just play.  It’s totally up to you.  We have five great professionals coming in for the workshop. 

• February 27^th, Tammy Murillo, the child and family supervisor from Head Start is going to be our guest. 
•  On March 6^th, bring all your nutrition questions, because Jane Eisenhauer from K-State Extension will be answering all your burning questions about kids and what they should be eating. 
•  March 13^th, Holly McCarter is returning again.  Holly is a speech and language pathologist from USD480.  She is also part of the Autism Team. 
•  Jan Nondorf is our guest on March 20^th.  She is the director of PACT, which serves children from birth to three years.  
•  Our final guest is Dora Ponce from United Methodist Mexican American Ministries.  She will be at the Family Place Workshop on March 27^th.

For children, the best part of the program is that it is a place where children can play and interact with other children their own ages.  At first, many of the children are shy, but after the second week, they get to know each other and start interacting with each other.  The best part of the workshop for the adults is that they can talk with other parents. Most discuss problems with parenting, what they love about parents and even share tips and tricks.  Just like their children, the parents also need time to get used to each other.  At first, you probably won’t be super comfortable sharing your parenting problems or tips with others, but you will see the same families and the same children and start to talk with others.  If you don’t believe me, you will have to come and see. 

Family Place Library Parent/Child Workshop begins this Thursday at 6:30.  You can still register for the workshop.  To register, send an email to childrens@lmlibrary.org, call us up at 626-0180 or stop by the library.  Like all programming at the library, the workshop is free for all families.  If you are on social media, like our Family Place Library Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/lmlibraryfamilyplace.

New Medal Winners Coming to the Library

 January is probably the most exciting month for us in the children’s department of the library. Not only do we celebrate the beginning of a new year, but it’s also the month where the majority of the book awards for children’s literature are announced. Most people know about the Newbery and Caldecott awards for children’s literature and illustration respectively, but fewer people know about the Pura Belpré award. This award celebrates outstanding children’s books from Latino and Latina writers and illustrators. At the library, I am so excited about the announcement of 2014 Pura Belpré award at the end of month, that I might charge you as you walk into the children’s section, waving a copy of Chato’s Kitchen – the book that won the first illustration medal in 1996. 

Last year, there were two great books that won the honor. For 2013, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe a novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz won the medal for narrative. In addition to the Pura Belpré, it won so many other awards, including a Lammy and a Printz honor. This book was phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 16 who is trying to discover themselves, figure out friendships and love or wanting to know how to tell the truth.


The book that won the award for illustrator David Diaz is Martín de Porres: the Rose in the Desert by Gary D. Schmidt. This biography tells the story of Martín de Porres, the first black saint in the Americas. If you look closely at the alcove near the circulation desk you can see a scene from the book. Check it out just to look at the pictures. It’s also a great biography to share as a bedtime story, because it’s a cool story than can be read in about ten minutes, though you will probably linger over the pictures.

Past years have also had great Pura Belpré medal and honor winning books, and many of these books are on display this month at the library. One of my favorites is Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match (Marisol McDonald no combina) by Monica Brown. This bilingual book is about a girl who doesn’t want to be the same as everybody else. Girls who like the Fancy Nancy books will love this book (and in my opinion, it’s ten times better, because Marisol just wants to be herself, and is not interested in being pretty). This would be a great bedtime story, and could be read in English or Spanish.

Another honor book that I think would appeal to boys is Maximilian: the Mystery of the Guardian Angel, a Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller by Xavier Garza. Max falls over the railing while his favorite wrestler, the Guardian Angel is wrestling. It turns out that Max is linked to his hero and his summer vacation gets turned into a wild ride! This book is great because the Spanish and English are side by side, meaning that you could read it entirely in English or entirely in Spanish or half and half.

In addition to the Pura Belpré winners, Caldecott and Newbery winners will also be announced in January. Past winners are on display in the children’s section of the library. If you remember a medal winner from your youth, check it out and share it with your kids. When the 2014 winners are announced, I’ll have a lot more books on my reading list and you’ll have another reason to come to the library.

Play at the Library

When most parents think about the library, they think only about the books – either the ones that they check out for themselves or the books that they read to their children before bedtime every night. Many people don’t think of the library as a place to play. Liberal Memorial Library has been a Family Place Library for almost a year now, and we are starting to get the reputation as the place to go to play. Family Place Library is a program that brings the community together. It gives parents a place to learn about parenting and children the place to play. The library always has toys out aimed at children from birth to five years of age. The toys are free for all families in the community to come and use in the library at any time.

While many parents (myself included) are nervous about their children hitting the milestones on time and want to try and educate their children, research has shown that one of the most important things that a parent can do is to play with their child. Put away those flashcards and baby learning DVDs and just play. It may seem strange at first, but your child is actually learning a lot.

When a child plays with an adult, they learn new vocabulary and literacy skills. When playing with toy dinosaurs, you probably didn’t even think about it but you just taught your child the words armor, carnivore and scales. When having a tea party, making a menu together will reinforce the idea that words have meanings. When a child plays with a parent or other children, they learn team work, sharing and other social skills that they won’t get in a classroom setting or through flashcards. Pretend play gives children a place to imagine a different world and experience different roles. Parents might feel strange at first putting a strainer on their head and pretending that they are an alien from outer space, but it gets easier and your child will guide you through the scene.

Play also promotes good health, which is important when a child starts learning in the traditional way. Times have changed and children are spending less time outside and more time in front of a screen. Experts recommend at least an hour a day of physical activities for kids. While going to the park every day is ok at first, after a while both parents and children will be bored of the same old same old. Try sharing some of the games that you played in your childhood. When others in your neighborhood see you out having fun, they will join in and you will probably have enough kids to form teams.

Play is important. Some even go so far as to say that the job of a child is to play. The next time that you walk into the library and see (or hear) kids playing in the library, just remember that they are actually doing their jobs and learning.

If you still need help finding fun at the library, sign up for the next parent/child workshop, where parents and children spend an hour a week playing together for five weeks. The next one will be held in early spring. We are starting a separate Family Place Library Facebook page, so parents of young children can learn about this excellent program and keep in touch with each other. Story time and special programming are a way to have fun and are open to all. Story times incorporate music and art activities, which are another form of play. For more information or to get a schedule, stop by the library or email me at childrens@lmlibrary.org.

Swing Music and Fire Safety at the Library

Swing on down to the Liberal Memorial Library and get ready for an evening, outdoor concert with the "Swingin’ Saints Jazz Band” on Monday, Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. It’s free to the public so bring a lawn chair and listen to music from the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. It also might be appropriate to bring your dancing shoes.

Under the direction of Seward County Community Intstrumental Music Instructor Darin Workman, the band is of comprised of 14-18 community and student musicians, who will take you back to the days when Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman were the kings of swing and ruled the music world.

You’ll hear the combination of trombones, trumpets, and saxophones along with the piano, drums and bass that will bring you back to an era gone by. Memories will start flowing and the urge to get up and start swinging and dancing may overtake you. Come down to the library, bring a lawn chair and enjoy what is sure to be a wonderful trip down memory lane and an exciting new experience for those who have never heard the Big Band sound.

Later in the month, join the Liberal Memorial Library and the Liberal Fire Department at the library for a night of fire safety and prevention. It all happens on Tuesday, October 15. At 6:00 p.m., there will be a special story time as children of all ages hear a story, ask questions and find out what's it like to be a fire fighter. Kids will even be able to see what they would look like as a fire fighter and practice some fire safety drills. At seven o’clock, adults can get fire safety tips and learn how to prevent fires, especially in the kitchen. Anyone who has ever set their kitchen on fire, or had to take the batteries out of their smoke detector because it goes off too much should come to this workshop to help prevent a fire.

If you are burning too many things in the kitchen, come to Recipe Swap, held on the last Monday of the month at 6:30. This month, the topic is stews and soups. Bring your favorite recipe and get new recipes all while chatting about food.

 Interested in playing chess at the library? Come by on Mondays at six o’clock for a game. All ages and skill levels are welcome. If you are a total beginner, we’ll teach you the moves. If you just know how the pieces move, play with others to improve.

 The library also has story times throughout October. Check out our website or pick up a calendar at the library for exact details. Definitely plan to attend the special Halloween story time on Tuesday, October 29th at 6:00. Kids (and their parents) can wear their Halloween costumes and join in the fun.

If you have questions about any of the programming at the library, check our website at www.lmlibrary.org or give us a call at 626-0180. All events are free and open to all in the community (even if you don’t have a library card). No registration is needed for any of these events, so make sure to stop into the library for whichever programs interests you.

Finding the Next Must-Read Book for Your Child

What happens when your child reaches the end of a favorite series, only to find out that the next book doesn’t come out for another six months? There are several solutions for getting a kid excited about new books, whether they are in a series or not.

Choose something from your childhood days. Your child may laugh at why you thought the Babysitter’s Club was such a good series or why you thought Encyclopedia Brown was so clever (and why he only charged ten cents an hour for his fee), but suggesting a book that you enjoyed at that age and then talking about it is a way to share your childhood and connect with a child. Your child may tease you forever for the story being totally unbelievable or corny, but after rereading it, you probably will agree with them.

Look at the Junior Book Finder on the library’s website. Choose a category and find book recommendations. Because there are so many different categories, at least one of them will strike a chord with a young reader. Categories include: books set in the past, funny books, books with dragons (and books with about every other type of monster), animals and books under a hundred pages. If you read a really good book that fits into one of the categories and it isn’t on the Book Finder, tell us and we can add it. We are adding more and more books every week, so keep checking back. The Book Finder is at www. http://lmlibrary.org/kids/jfbookfinder/finder.asp

Check out more than you need. Sometimes a book just isn’t all that great. If it’s all that your child has and you only go to the library once a week, then they are going to be bored, and dread the twenty minutes every night spent reading before going to bed. Check out a few books instead of just one, so that it can be abandoned it if it isn’t any good.

Check out a book sight unseen. Some people really believe that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Want the chance to see whether or not it will work? At the library, we have books for children that are covered in paper. All the information that you get about the book is the recommended age level and a few key words. For example, one of the books on my desk right now is for kids in grades two to five with three hints: 1) kung fu, worms and chocolate-covered scorpions; 2) a shrinking kid; and 3) funny. Kids can only take the book out of the wrapping after they check it out. Who doesn’t like unwrapping a present?

Get a recommendation from a librarian. I don’t know when the last time was that I read a book that wasn’t either a kid’s book or a young adult book. I also spend a lot of time talking to kids about books. If you want a recommendation, just ask! Just be prepared to carry home more books than you planned on checking out. If your child is looking for a book set in the 1960s, I’d recommend The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. Want a dark book? Then you should read Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz. Unless, you wanted a funny dark book… Then check out A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Want a book about ADHD? The Joey Pigza series by Jack Gantos is phenomenal. If you come in wanting “a good book”, I’ll either recommend Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, Confetti Girl by Diana Lopez or Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. Chances are pretty good that the Liberal Memorial Library has a book for every child.

Parent/Child Workshop and Watch Party @ the Library

Summer vacation is over and it is time to hit the books again. The library is hosting two special programs that will be of interest to everyone in the community.

 Family Place Library Parent/Child Workshop

The first program is a parent/child workshop aimed at families with children who are between the ages of two and five. The five week program starts on August 29th and is held on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 in the evening. The library held the same program in the spring, and the program is a lot of fun for kids (and the parents/grandparents/adults that accompany the kids got something out of the program too!).

The Family Place Library parent/child workshop has two main goals. The first is to get young children out of the house and to get them playing with their parents. Parents are a child’s first teacher and young children learn through playing. The second goal of the workshop is to connect parents with other parents from the community. Not only are parents supposed to mingle with each other and talk about the problems of parenting, but each week, there is a different community member who comes and interacts with parents to answer questions about child development, health issues, parenting and more.

If you have issues with a picky eater, sign up for this free workshop, because we have a nutritionist coming as a guest one week. If you have development issues in a small child, sign up for the program, because we have several different experts lined up that are trained in development issues that can give you information on where to go to get help. If you don’t have any issues, sign up and bring your children for free fun at the library. Registration is required, and parents don’t need a library card to sign up. The workshop is free and the library will have translators available to bridge any communication gaps.

Affordable Care Act Watch Party 

The second program at Liberal Memorial Library is a Watch Party giving an overview of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, August 22nd from 7 to 8 in the evening. The State Library of Kansas in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will present this webinar, which is the first of three. The other two watch parties will be held September 12th and September 26th at 7:00 p.m. No registration is required for this free event at the library.

Starting October 1, 2013, the Health Insurance Marketplace, sometimes known as the health insurance "exchange" will begin open enrollment. Coverage starts January 1, 2014. The Marketplace website, HealthCare.gov will be the primary tool for delivering information to Americans about their health coverage options. For Spanish speaking consumers, CuidadoDeSalud.gov is also available.

Health Insurance Marketplaces are where people and small businesses can shop for and buy private health insurance. Consumers will have the same health plan choices available to members of Congress. The marketplaces are not private insurance companies or government-run health plans.

With one application, consumers can find out if they qualify for health plans in the marketplace, and other programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), tax credits, and cost-sharing reductions.

We hope to see you at the library for these events. For more information, stop by the library at 519 N. Kansas Avenue or give us a call at (620) 626-0180.

How to Grow a Reader

I love Jim Trelease’s book The Read-Aloud Handbook.  As the title suggests, the book is about the importance of reading aloud to your child.  I’ll give you the most important parts of the book (doing the book little justice, because it really is a great book that will help every parent).

Q:  When should you start reading to your child?  When should you stop?  What if you don’t have time to read?

You should start reading to your baby from day one.  Don’t worry if you haven’t been reading, you can always start today.  When a child is very young, the main goal is to show that reading is fun.  If they want to hear the same book over and over again for a month, read it to them.  Don’t pressure a child to memorize words or to start reading before they are ready.  Remember, this should be fun for both of you.

Just because your child can read, doesn’t mean that you should stop reading to them.  If your child is in middle school (or even high school) you should still read to them.  Children and teens’ reading skills are still usually lower than their understanding skills so they are getting access to stories that they can’t read themselves.

Reading to a child doesn’t have to be before bedtime, it can be any time of the day.  You can always combine reading and chores.  For example, while an older child is dusting the living room or cleaning their room, you could be reading to him or her.  The rule of thumb is that kids should be read to at least 20 minutes a day. 

Q:  What if my kid doesn’t like to read?

The Read-Aloud Handbook stresses three things.  The first is that reading is a skill and that it does take practice.  The second point is that children can learn to love reading even later in life.  What usually changes those teens who aren’t readers is a special book.  Keep recommending books (or getting recommendations from librarians, teachers and friends) even if they claim that they hate to read.  Finally, children and teens who love to read are usually those who have been read to, so keep reading.  

Q:  What if you can’t read or if you aren’t a good reader yourself?

In the past, this was a bigger problem than it is now.  Now, there is technology to help parents.  Liberal Memorial Library has a subscription to TumbleBooks, which is a collection of e-books for children.  Parents can either read to the child or turn the sound on and have the story read to them.  When each word is spoken, it’s highlighted to try to reinforce the connection between the words and sounds.  For parents that don’t have Internet access, check out a kit from the library that contains a CD and a story book.   Of course, don’t forget about story time and other activities at the library!

The main reason that I like The Read-Aloud Handbook is that it stresses the joy of reading.  Talk to your children and teens about your favorite books that you read when you were their age, let them read magazines and choose what they want to read, and most importantly, make reading to your child or teen a priority by making it part of your whole family’s lifestyle.    

Bored, Nothing to Do? Come to the Library!

While the summer reading program at the library is over (if you still have your reading log out, bring it in now), summer vacation is far from over. There are still about six weeks left until school starts and kids are starting to get bored. Vacations and a trip to grandma’s house might kill a few of those weeks. But when you are in Liberal trips to the library can fill in some of that boredom. Here are three boredom busters for kids in Liberal.

#1 Programs at the library. Story times on Mondays and Thursdays at 11:15 and Tuesday evenings at 6:00 will be opened up to children of all ages, so come on the day of the week that is most convenient. We have another movie at the library (with tons of hot, fresh popcorn and cold lemonade). We are playing Pictionary, forming a book club for those in grades 3-6, playing sports on the lawn of the library and starting up chess at the library again. For younger kids we have a special toddler music hour with musical instruments, songs, dance and movement. To get a calendar, stop by the library, look online for the dates and times or call the library at 626-0180.

 #2 Tumblebooks. Just because summer reading is over, doesn’t mean that kids should stop reading. To encourage reading, Liberal Memorial Library now has access to Tumblebooks as part of the Kansas EZ Library databases. Tumblebooks are ebooks with audio for kids. You can access talking stories in English or Spanish with any computer, cell phone or tablet that can access the Internet through the library’s website. If you are waiting in line at the grocery store or stuck in an airport with your kids, go to lmlibrary.org and click on the Tumblebooks icon to begin listening to stories.

 #3 Books. We have so much great fiction for children of all ages at the library that sometimes our non-fiction section gets overlooked. Summer is a great time to encourage readers to pick a topic and learn more about it. If you are playing baseball this summer, check out a book improving baseball skills. We have books on crafts, disgusting animals, dinosaurs, the outdoors, famous people and how-to and building books. Why not try to break a world record this summer? I always wanted to break a pogo stick jumping record, but sadly never achieved pogo greatness. Copies of the Guinness Book of World Records are always flying off the shelf. Stop by the library to pick up a July calendar, check out books or just hang out. For more information call us at 620-626-0180 (extension four for the children’s department).

Dig Into (Summer) Reading

The best part about the summer vacation as a kid was having a whole summer with nothing to do.  It always sounded like a good idea, but after a couple of days, I got bored and my mom had to figure out something for me to do until school started again.    It usually involved swimming lessons (I sink), softball (I was a left-handed pitcher) and cleaning my room.

Parents in Liberal may have an easier time figuring out what their kids can do during the summer.   

Liberal Memorial Library will have their summer reading program from May 28^th to June 29th.   The theme for the children’s program is “dig into reading”.  We are going to travel through the sewers, explore burrowing animals, get the basics of gardening, dig into the past and for the final week of the program, dig up trouble. 

Just like in the past, every week children from birth to grade six can come to the library for an hour of books, songs, crafts and games.  We also have a lot of special programming for the whole family.   There are programs for tweens, teens and adults during the summer as well. 

The five-week program begins on May 28^th at 3:00 with a worm box building session.  The library is going to be home to a box of worms as the mascots of the program.   We are going to learn about worms and how to take care of them.  The names Justin Bieber and Frank have already been suggested by kids. 

We have the Soil Tunnel Trailer from 10:30-11:30 on Thursday, June 6^th.  Kids and adults will be able to see what it looks like under the earth, complete with 3-D worms and roots. 

On June 12^th  at 4:00, Dr. Patrick Ross of Southwestern College will be at the library to discover life in a cup of dirt.   We’ll dig in and discover the rich life and real value in a cup of dirt. 

On June 18^th at 3:00 we are going to see some big machinery that may have been used to make the roads in Liberal. 

Mad Science is coming back to the library.  Kids will be see how cool science is, and who knows, maybe even get to volunteer for a mad science experiment.  The program is on June 25^th at 1:00. 

We will also try not to dig up too much trouble by learning how to be a medieval jester and juggling.  Don’t worry, it’s a lot easier than it sounds.  While I can’t guarantee that every kid will learn to juggle in an hour, every kid will learn the basics, and with a little practice, they should be able to juggle well in no time.  Come to the library on Thursday May 27^th at 3:00. 

The library is showing a different movie each week on Friday May 31^st, June 7^th and June 14^th.    All movies are rated G or PG.  I’m excited about the movies because not only are they good movies but we are serving popcorn and lemonade.  

Of course, there is also the reading part of the summer reading program.  Children from birth to grade six have the opportunity to read for a t-shirt.  Kids set a reading goal when they sign up (at least 10 hours during the five weeks). When the five weeks are over, kids bring their signed forms back to the library (by Saturday, June 29^th).  At the end of the summer party (August 2^nd at 2:00), everyone who reached their goal will get a summer reading t-shirt. 

Sign up for the program begins May 20^th and programming begins on the 27^th.  For more information contact the library at 620-0180 or visit the website www.lmlibrary.org. 

Parenting through Play at the Library

Just over three weeks ago (on the first day of a new job as the children’s librarian), I was told that the Liberal Memorial Library is a Family Place Library. I filed the information away in my brain (well, forgot about it). Last week when it was announced that the very first of our biannual five week parent/child workshops for parents and children from birth to five years of age was starting on Thursday, April 11th at the library. I immediately started to panic. How was I going to help to host a five week workshop for parents? I’m a mother, but that doesn’t make me a parenting expert. I had visions of lectures and PowerPoint presentations with kids struggling to sit still.

Then I learned more about what the Family Place Library workshops actually were. I discovered that they are not traditional workshops, but an opportunity for parents and caregivers to play with their children and to interact others in the community. Each week the library invites different local professionals to serve as resources and interact with other parents. Parents come to the library, and during the workshop they play with their children and have the opportunity to get parenting questions answered. If you don’t have any questions to ask, come for the toys and a solid hour of time to just sit down and play with your child.

Children get the chance to socialize with other children, while parents get the chance to share parenting ideas amongst themselves. The goals of the workshop are to facilitate early intervention, teach strategies for healthy child development and early literacy and to emphasize the role of parents as the first teachers of their children – all of which are done through play.

Most people don’t associate playing with the library, but as part of the grant, the library was able to purchase educational toys geared towards children from birth to age five. There are dolls, blocks role playing toys, puppets, building sets and more that children and parents can play with together at the library.

We’ve also been upgrading our parenting section, which is located in the children’s area of the library with new books. These books can answer any question that you might have that the local professionals or a fellow parent isn’t able to answer.

Registration is required for the five week parent/child workshop. It will be held at the library on Thursday, April 11th, April 18th, April 25th, May 2nd and May 9th at 6:30. Those wanting to sign up with their children from birth to age five can register at the library, by telephone (620-626-0180) or by email (childrens@lmlibrary.org).

Besides Family Place Library, Liberal Memorial is also happy to announce evening story time for children of all ages on Tuesday starting at 6:00. We still have our regular story times on Mondays for preschoolers, on Tuesdays for infants and Thursdays for the toddlers, all starting at 11:15. Registration is not required for any of the story times. I hope to see you at the library.