Kansas Reads to Preschoolers is Here!

 Preparations are now complete for the celebration of the 8^th annual Kansas Reads to Preschoolers event.  Daycares and preschool settings will be hearing the story Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn as library staffers tour Liberal making visits this week.

 Youngsters who come to the library for our special story times on Thursday will also hear the story along with taking part in some other fun activities, including a drawing for a copy of the book.  Even if you have never taken part in story time prior to November 15, please plan to join us.  The age groups and times are as follow: Infants birth through 18 months meet at 9:15; toddlers ages 19 months through 35 months meet at 9:55; preschoolers ages 3 to 5 meet from 10:30 to 11:15.  Story time sessions for the younger two groups last 20 minutes. 

 A wonderful time was had by all who attended our Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy dress-up party.  The young attendees looked ‘ magnifique’, as Fancy Nancy would say.  Watch our website or in-library publicity for upcoming fun events for children. 

On your next trip to the library, check out our tribute to veterans in the north alcove.  Even though today is Veterans’ Day, the display will remain in place for a couple of weeks.  Another thing to check out is our new circulation desk.  Installed just last week, staff members are still moving into drawers and cupboards and getting used to the new feel of things.  So far, everyone seems really pleased.

The glass display case in the hall is now housing one of the library’s 27 pre-literacy kits which were made possible about 9 years ago by a special populations grant.  These kits are designed to help parents, grandparents, and other significant adults work with children in learning or in reinforcing skills needed when they start kindergarten.  Housed in clear, plastic backpacks, these kits contain books and manipulatives centered around fun topics for little ones.  The kits also include a notebook offering suggestions on how to use the kit.   The notebook and many of the books featured in the kit are provided in Spanish as well as in English.   Parents, grandparents, and caregivers have lots of great ideas themselves, so the notebook acts as a jumping off point to get started with the kit.  In the Youth Pages tab across the top of the library web page, select kid’s corner then scroll down on the left to see a description of each of the kits or stop by the library and look at the binder that features each kit.   Besides being educational, the kits are a lot of fun!!

Some patrons may not be aware that the library purchases all the nominated books for the William Allen White award annually.  This award is the Kansas state award in children’s literature.  Kansas school children get the opportunity to vote for the winner in one of two categories: grades 3 to 5 and grades 6 to 8.  In order to vote, a student has to have read at least two titles from one or the other of the lists.  These are always excellent reading as attested to by the fact that lots of adults also try to read through the titles before the award is announced.  The authors of the nominated books must confirm that they will attend the award ceremony should their book win.  This year there was a bit of a problem getting confirmations due to so many publishing companies being located on the east coast in the path of Hurricane Sandy.  The event organizers have promised an official final list by November 12.  The bookmark list that is located with the display of these books on the ledge by the Children’s Desk may be altered after the twelfth.  Please ask if you need assistance in locating the books. 

 In conclusion, if you failed to call the library to line up a visit to your home daycare, it’s not too late to give us a call.  Have a happy Veterans’ Day and we’ll see you at Memorial Library!

Upcoming events week of November 11

Monday, November 12 – Friday November 16 KANSAS READS TO PRESCHOOLERS

Tuesday, November 13          

 10 a.m.            Wii for Adults

10 a.m.            Beginning Computer (call for reservation)

  Noon                Library & Lunch.  If you are interested in the Dust Bowl years, the featured
                         book is The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.

Wednesday, November 14    

 9:30                 Spanish Beginning Computer (call for reservation)

Thursday, November 15  

  9:15                 Lapsit Story time

  9:55                 Toddle-in Story time

   10:30               Preschool Story time

4:30                 Chess – beginners & experienced players welcome

 6:30                 Book Chat – come discuss the new books you are reading.

                                                                 

Lots of Activities for Little Ones

The library joined in commemorating Fire Prevention Week Oct 7 – 13. Some of our young patrons tried on fire gear and had their pictures taken. Staff members joined in as well. During time with the little ones and their parents/caregivers, information was shared about library resources for fire safety. One of the 26 pre-literacy kits the library is titled Fire Safety. Chief Kelly Kirk of the Liberal Fire Department provided the final approval for materials that went into this kit

The National Fire Protection Association has just come out with a book to celebrate Sparky’s 60^th birthday entitled Sparky the Fire Dog. It provides good information in a non-frightening manner and also incorporates some letter recognition to spell out a special message along the edge of the pages. The library was fortunate to receive some materials geared to children from the Seward County Fire Department which were distributed at our preschool story times during the week.

The next few weeks will feature lots of things at the library for little ones. The biggest event is the 8^th Annual Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, which will take place the week of November 12. If you are unfamiliar with this event, a special committee chooses a book annually that is read to as many preschoolers across the state as possible.  Here at Memorial Library that includes programs that take place at the library, as well as journeying with our special story, Lola Loves Stories by Anna McQuinn,  to preschools and to daycares, both the large ones and smaller home daycares.  The latter category is the one in which readers can provide us some assistance.  If you know of a home daycare provider who would like to have someone from the library come and read to the little ones in her care some time during the week, please have her phone the library (626-0180, ext. 4).  Library staff is always excited to make contact with the wonderful youngsters throughout the community.

Please note that our story times have resumed and will meet October 18 and November 1, 8, 15, and 29.  This is a fun time for little ones and their parents as well.  Check our website or phone the library for times.  November 15 is the day Lola Loves Stories will be shared in the library.  There are always more fun things than just the story library staffers read at their preschool earlier in the week, so plan to come and share the fun

It’s dress up time again!  Fancy Nancy will be held at the library on Saturday, November 3, from 10 to 11:30.  This is a fun time for children ages 4 through 7 to put on their fancy clothes and come down to our party.  This party will feature the posh puppy, so each child will celebrate the event by bringing their own plush puppy from home.  There will be a runway walk for the children to model their attire and show off their plush puppies.  Next we will share the story, do some puppy-themed crafts, and have a ‘people’ snack before the party concludes.  Reservations open October 18.  Either the children’s desk or the circulation desk can assist in getting your child signed up for this event.  As always, this is a popular program with limited spots available. If you find your child cannot attend once you’ve made the reservation, please give us a call and cancel so that another child can enjoy the event.

Another popular event for children here at the library is our annual Gingerbread House Decorating.  We will be hosting this once again during the first part of December.  Children 4 through 11 may make reservations for this event.  Watch the library website or in-library signage for dates and times. 

When young children tour the library, I always ask them, “Who do you think owns the library?”  Invariably, a lot of them respond, “You”, to which I am then able to say, “No, but you do.”  Then we talk a bit about the taxes that support our library.  Liberal has a wonderful facility in this library--don’t pass up the opportunity to check out its resources.  See you at Memorial Library!

Don't forget this week's events.  For our NASA series, Aaron Johnson from the National Weather Service in Dodge City will present a program on the Earth's atmosphere on Monday, October 15, at 4 p.m.  Thursday afternoon, October 18, is Chess from 4:30 to 5:30.  Anyone interested may attend these events.

Variety of Things for Patrons at Your Library

Some exciting things are happening here at the library!  Last week staff attended a training session for a new early literacy concept called 6 by 6 Ready to Read.  The library also applied for a grant to help update our parenting collection, which has found its way once again to the children’s side of the library in the non-fiction section.  Watch for more news on these exciting ventures in the weeks to come. 

 If you haven’t come to one of our NASA sessions, be sure to check the schedule for more information on the upcoming programs. The next program in the series will take place on Monday, September 24, at 4 p.m. when a speaker from the Kansas Cosmosphere will be presenting “Living in Space” in the Cooper Clark Room and will address such things as what an orbit is and how it is achieved, what micro-gravity is and how it affects human physiology and function, and how an astronaut spends a typical day in space.   This is a great opportunity to hear a Cosmosphere program without having to leave Liberal.  Plan to join us at 4 p.m. on Monday.

 Some of the new books to recently arrive are now in our non-fiction section.  Learn to Speak Fashion – A Guide to Creating,Showcasing & Promoting Your Style by Laura deCarufel  provides the interested young person with information on every aspect of fashion from creating to modeling to photography to marketing.  The author is very down to earth, shares her opinions, and uses lots of examples from her own experiences.

 Nature’sPatchwork Quilt – Understanding Habitats is by Mary Miche’ with wonderful illustrations by Consie Powell.  This book explains several different habitats and their occupants and how the existence within the habitat fits together like a patchwork quilt.  Terms such as adaptation, interdependency, and biodiversity are explained in easily understood terms.  Age range is listed as 4 to 10, lending itself well to some parent and child time with lots of discussion about the various smaller pictures in each spread.

 Note on the schedule below that our story times will take place on September 27.  That day will mark the end of the first session of story times for the school year.  Though we normally take a two-week break between sessions, this next session will be the exception.  We will only break for one week and resume story times on October 11.  Check the library’s website or in-house postings for the complete schedule, or stop by either the circulation desk or children’s desk for a printed copy. 

 The library is seeking national political campaign buttons and other small memorabilia from past elections to place in the glass display case in our hallway for the month of October up through the election in November.  If you have any items you would be willing to loan, please phone 626-0180, ext 4 or stop by the library.  Make sure the person who accepts your loaned items catalogs them and gets your name and phone number to insure their safe return. 

 Another thing the library is seeking are names of daycare providers who cannot bring the children in their care to the library for our special celebration of Kansas Reads to Preschoolers the week of November 12 and would be interested in lining up a home visit from a library staff member to share the selected story.  If you know someone in this situation, please have her call the library to get on the schedule. 


Check out what’s going on below, and we’ll see you at Memorial Library!

Happenings at Your Library the week of September 24

Sept 24         4 p.m.          “Living in Space” presented by KS Cosmosphere

Sept 27         9:15             Infant Storytime

                   9:55             Toddler Storytime

                   10:15            Preschool Storytime

Sept 27         4:00             Teen Gaming

 

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers

Hope all our readers remembered to turn their clocks back and got an extra hour of sleep. Or maybe you put that hour to use in another way. Some people are more sensitive than others to changes such as this, but everyone is sure to notice the difference around suppertime tonight when darkness descends.

If you missed our Geek Day Carnival on the 29th, you missed out on a good time. In spite of chilly temps and a brisk south wind, it was a great event. The kids enjoyed the games, Poppa D clown, the popcorn, and, of course, the balloons. Parents, grandparents, and other adults enjoyed visiting with library staff, getting geek info, and writing on our geek board. Musical entertainment was provided by Watson's Warriors, and it really added to the festivities. There were lots of great volunteers who helped out wherever needed. A big 'thank you' to each and every one of you!

And now it's time to move on to November activities. November 13 through 19 is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers week, a statewide effort to read to as many preschoolers as possible. The intent is to raise awareness of the importance of early literacy in the lives of young children. This is the seventh year for this event, which has seen a great selection of titles, personal appearances by some of the authors, and wonderful companion activities. This year is no exception, as the chosen book is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. This rollicking alphabet book is sure to please preschoolers everywhere. A bit about its author - Bill Martin, Jr. (1916-2004) has been called "America's favorite children's book author." Born and raised in Hiawatha, he experienced difficulty reading until he attended Kansas State Teacher's College at Emporia (now Emporia State University). There he memorized poems an instructor read aloud, then related the words to what was on the page. After graduation, Martin taught English and journalism at Newton and St. John, Kansas. Martin continued as an educator, became a school principal in Illinois, and earned a doctorate in early childhood education. He then moved to New York to join publisher Holt, Rinehart and Winston as editor-in-chief of the school division and developer of innovative reading programs. In 1972 Martin became a full-time writer, eventually publishing over 300 books. (taken from Kansas Center for the Book website, Martin biography).

During Kansas Reads to Preschoolers week, the library provides both in-library and outside of the library programs. The special in-library story time for Kansas Reads to Preschoolers will take place at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, November 17. For those outside programs, preschools and larger daycares throughout Liberal are visited by library staff members who present the featured story. The smaller in-home daycares are the ones that are sometimes most difficult to connect with. This is where our readers can help out.

If you operate a home daycare, please phone the library so that a visit to your facility can be arranged during that week. If you know someone who operates a home daycare, please encourage them to give the library a call at 626-0180, ext 4. It's great that Liberal joins in reaching out to so many little ones and in making a good showing for the state-wide tally, making a statement of the importance of early literacy.

The November 17 story time session will be the final one in this series. The next set of storytimes will begin December 8. Be sure to check the library's website or pick up a monthly events newsletter at our circulation desk to get all the latest on activities in the library. The month of December will be bringing some fun events for youngsters.

Recently we received a generous donation from the Seward County Conservation District earmarked for books on soil. We are acquiring those titles. Those now on the shelf include: Growing and Eating Green -- Careers in Farming, Producing, and Marketing Food by Ruth Owen; Different Kinds of Soil by Molly Aloian; How is Soil Made? by Heather L. Montgomery; Soil Erosion and How to Prevent It by Natalie Hyde; and Micro Life in Soil also by Natalie Hyde.

Growing and Eating Green is part of a series called Green-Collar Careers. As is typical of many information books for youngsters these days, this book contains, in addition to the main text, additional little boxes of information. Chapter 1 is entitled The Future is Green and includes push pin 'attached' information on various careers. In addition, terms such as organic and fair trade are defined in other boxes. Other boxed items include information about caged hens and about mad cow disease and vCJD. The back of the book provides both a glossary and a page of websites for further information.

The other four titles listed above are part of a series entitled Everybody Digs Soil. The publisher describes this series by stating, "Soil is second only to oceans as the most important living area on planet Earth. This amazing series goes under ground to show children how soil is as important as the atmosphere in sustaining life on Earth and keeping global warming under control. Kid-friendly examples and fun activities help young readers understand complex processes." So, if your child 'digs' soil, come on in and check out these great titles! See you at Memorial Library!