Archive for the ‘teens and librarians’ Category

Shameful, isn’t it?

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

Yes. I’m still alive. Barely, but I’m here. Jeff has been threatening to get rid of my blog. Finally (as you can see) his pestering paid off. Its just other people do so much better than I, so I read other blogs, like Adrienne’s, Libba’s, Samantha’s and of course, the librarians at “A Librarian’s Guide to Etiquette“. I also have to keep up on my Lumines playing on my PSP and all the kids and teens books I’m reading. Its funny, Jeff was saying that he sometimes wishes I wasn’t a Youth Services Librarian, because then I would read adult (tee hee) books.

Anyway, what’s been going on in my life? I’ll give you the brief bits and then try and go into details into other posts. Here’s the bits:

1. March 5th I found out that I was eight weeks pregnant! Wheee! I’m due on October 15th.
2. May 28th I have the ultrasound. I’d really like a girl, because I have a girl name in mind, but any child of mine will be wonderful. 🙂
3. March 30th Jack had his third birthday
4. April 5th we had our third annual Teen Book Festival
5. April 18th I turned 29 … god, my last year in the twenties.
6. April 24th – May 4th the family and I went to Disney World.
7. I managed to do all my summer reading planning right before and after the Disney vacation.

Looking at this I’ve got about four blog posts I need to put together. Of course, if I posted as things were happening, I wouldn’t have to do this, but I’m like a cat. Easily distracted.

Onto the in depth posts… now that its 11 pm? Jeeze. Past my bedtime. Pregnancy has done that to me. I’m ready to go to bed at 9:30 pm nowadays. But because I love Jeff and he’s being a pest, I’ll post about one of them. 🙂

The wii is…

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

In my possession as we speak! I got to Toys R Us at 9 am to wait in line for an hour. There had been people waiting since SEVEN AM! I don’t know why people do this. They may be crazy. I thought I was crazy waiting for an hour.
It was snowing and blowing and FREEZING! My goodness was it freezing. But I got in there. I was Wii 26 of 35. I also got Wii Play (with the extra wiimote) a nunchuk, and the charging station. After that I was warm enough to leave the store. Only to get out of the store and realize that I couldn’t see a foot in front of my face. Yuck.
I had somewhat of a cold late last week, but today I’ve felt horrible. Absolutely awful. Those patrons better appreciate how much I’ve suffered. Ah, who am I kidding? They’ll be mad that I didn’t get the right wii games.
Next week: a trek back to Toys R Us for Guitar Hero III.
Just so you guys know, even though we play a lot of games and watch Anime, I do encourage the youth to read too. Sure I do! Manga and the Halo series. Oh and thanks to Bob, my new favorite: Scott Pilgrim.

The things I do for my teens

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

I found out a couple of days ago that a certain store is getting a new shipment of Wiis. So guess who is going to try and get there an hour (hope that will be enough time) early to get one for the library? Yup that would be me. I don’t know what I’m thinking, but I’m hoping that no one else has heard about it… yea right. We’ll see. The worst that could happen is I’ll have to go home wet and empty handed. I’d better not though. I may have to take down some little old lady buying a Wii!

Those shameful teens.

Sunday, February 3rd, 2008

I just realized that after the two last posts, one might think that I hate teens or something, when, in fact, the exact opposite is true. I mean, I’d be lying if I didn’t say they don’t drive me crazy sometimes, but I love their free spiritedness, emotions and individuality. I think that teens are so often given the short stick, because people just expect the worst. Here’s an example (and then I’ll get on with my reason for the post): on Saturday the page that was working (high schooler) said that one of the older patrons kept following her around and giving her dirty looks. She was furious, and rightly so I think. She went on to say that she’s on National Honor Society, she does extracurricular stuff and she gets really good grades.

Why should this older guy think she’s up to something? And really, why should he? 1. She’s in the library (of course, that often doesn’t mean anything anymore). 2. She was hardly dressed like a gangsta or other kind of hardened criminal, unless you count a gray sweatshirt and jeans gangsta material. 3. She was quietly putting books away.

Sometimes I really don’t understand adults. Its like as soon as they hit a certain age, the forget what it was like to be a teenager. They forget that you don’t need to talk to small children like they are completely mindless… you know what I’m talking about. Loud, high pitched and slow. Sometimes with that cutesy sing-song voice that I absolutely abhor. When I write it out, I realize that people do that with old people too. Talk to them really loud and slowly. I guess that’s why I like working with old people too. I like working with those people that really appreciate what you do for them, because the vast majority want nothing to do with them.

ANYWAY. After all that, all I really wanted to say was that on twitter, one of the people I follow is “youthlibrarian” and she found this site called lazy library. Its a site that finds books on different topics under 200 pages. Any more than 200, it won’t be on their site. They even rate it, tell you how much it costs and where you can buy it. Of course I had to look up librarian. High schoolers around the world rejoice.

Tweens.

Saturday, February 2nd, 2008

There. I said it. The dreaded “T” word. Not as dreaded as actual teens, but close enough. I made the decision at my library about a month ago to add tween only programs at my library… I’m considering tweens 4-8 graders. Some people say 3-6, but I can’t bear to go as low as 3rd, and my high schoolers don’t want middle schoolers at the teen programs. So starting on Monday, I will see who shows up. Probably not many or any at first, but once I start going to the schools and talking to the kids, people may start making an appearance. I’m sort of hoping that it works out the way my teen programs did. Word of mouth. The programs are pretty similar to the teen programs and family programs, but I’d like to give these kids a time of their own to relax and hang out. Most of my programs are just that. Relax and hang out with a thin facade of actual programming. I think if it gets too structured, the kids get scared and run away.

Once I get a small group of regulars, I’d like to see if I can get a grant to create a tween zine. … Oh that’s catchy! I’d get money for a camera, scanner, copier, maybe for a beginner class on writing (in general or journalism style). I think it could be really exciting. Of course, I’ve got to get them in first.

Wish me luck. I’ll need it, especially since my story times start next week too, and I NEVER have any luck with those. … I’m thinking that I may have to start traveling for story time, by going to preschools, daycares and kindergartens. Ack. Oh well. The life of a librarian is never dull. NEVER. Don’t believe the fairytales. Quiet and peaceful. Time to read novels. Bun and sensible shhhhoes. None of its true. Well except for the sensible shoes. Usually. Oh and I do have my shushing librarian action figure when I need her. (I even have the deluxe one with the book cart that doesn’t steer straight) Although I usually tell the kids that its my nose picking librarian. I think they like that better.

NYLA conference

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

My mind was just reeling after the NYLA conference. It was almost too much to take in. At first, I wasn’t so sure if I was taking any of it in, although now I think I may have just been in information overload. That, and driving overload (600 miles in four days. Egads!)

Thursday I went to a special day long continuing ed program called “Get with the YA Program“. It was a real eye opener… mostly because if I had a population of a quarter of a million and staff dedicated to helping me specifically and oodles of money, I could do so much more. As it is, I serve a population of 15,000, have a total staff of about 12, and a programming budget that is shameful. Kevin King, from the Kalamazoo Public Library came to talk to us about the four s’s: Support, Staff, Space, and a Stash of cash. The presentation gave me a lot to think about. I realize that I need to work on my time management and organization skills. When this is accomplished, I need to write a couple of grants that give me lots of money so that the teens and I can create zines to distribute throughout town. We’d need lots of cash for a digital camera, scanner, laptop, collating printer/copier and lots and lots of paper…. actually the zine idea came from Zahra Baird, who works at the Chappaqua Public Library. I also realized that I need to take a more active step in working with the schools and in the community. I need to work with social groups and people in power to get what I want. Kevin explained that one of the more important things about being a librarian is to be able to communicate well with others, to work well in a group and to be a good listener. He talked about how teens brains are literally made up differently than the adult brain. They think and act differently, because that’s the way their brain works. Luckily, I think I still have a little of that teen brain left so that I can talk to them pretty easily.
Kevin gave me lots of ideas for programming… now I just have to get going on them! One of the easiest things, I thought, would be to start programs for “tweens”. I’ve found that people all define tween very differently. One program I went to determined that tweens are kids in 3 – 5 grade. I thought, “ah-roo?” Umm, I don’t think so.

According to a Business Week article:

A tween is vaguely defined as a prepubescent between the ages of 8 to 14, 9 to 12, or 8 to 12, depending on whom you believe. (Some industries, such as the wireless sector, categorize the age as an unbelievable 6 to 12 years old, prompting one to ponder, “in between” what?) Regardless of the exact age definition, most agree that the breaking point of a “child” becoming a “tween” is by the American fifth grade (approximately ten years old), when he/she rejects more childlike images and associations and aspires to be more like a teen.

I would like to think of tweens as people in (5th?) 6th grade to 8th grade. I know that 8th graders would like to think that they are teens, but middle schoolers and high schoolers are SO different, maturity wise.

I think the idea that a SIX YEAR OLD is a tween is ridiculous. However, if you take a look at some of those Halloween costume ads, maybe it isn’t (I’m being sarcastic, BTW.)  Some of these costumes try and tart up little kids. Its disgusting. Why can’t we let little kids be little kids? Why can’t they just have fun doing little kids things?

Anyway. I would like to start doing some “tween only” programs, similar in style to what I do for the kids and teens. Once a week, all month long, I’d do a program for tweens only. I thought I could call it “Tweensdays”. Goofy, I know. So sue me… no don’t. I have to save up for my girls-only cruise (WOO HOO!) in January.

Welp. Its after midnight and I’m tired. I have so much more on my mind that I want to tell you!

A couple highlights:

  • YSS wanting to recruit me for committee work, and a local librarian trying to push me into their clutches :0
  • Even more NYLA fun… such as winning a set of diseases!
  • Calling the police on the teens because they are out of control, scare the kids and adults (and even some of the other teens) and having them swear at me so that I have to go all alpha dog on them. And belief me, I can if I need to. I know ghetto neck and I’m not afraid to use it.
  • Grants grants grants. I have so many ideas for grants my head may explode.
  • Jack mishaps in Wegmans. Blood, screaming and a mommy trying to stay calm and she looks frantically for daddy.
  • DDR madness at the Kyle household and CALVES OF STEEL!

I think that’s it for now. I will try and cover all of these topics (and more) in the next couple of days. I can’t believe that so much has been going on! Eek!

Teens in the library and how I’m getting old

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007

I have what I like to call “Teen Tuesdays” at my library. Every Tuesday there is a program just for teens. They don’t have to remember a whole bunch of days during the month. All they need to know is that if its a Tuesday and its 3:30, the room is theirs. Today they came in extra early, so I decided to open up the room early. We all went in there (I think there were about twenty of them) at about 1:45 and they were crazy! At 3:30, I was exhausted, so I sent them away. I should be amazed at what comes out of their mouths, but then I remember what I was like as a teenager… I think I’m glad that they are comfortable around me, but then again, do they respect me as an adult? What kinds of boundaries do I need to set, besides the obvious ones? I must say that I’m glad I can get so many enthusiastic teens in the library on a Tuesday afternoon in the summer, and I’m glad that they like me. Of course they just have so much energy, that it gets emotionally exhausting… is that possible?
Anyway, I’m glad to be back in the blogsphere. I need to do this more often. Of course I say that a lot, don’t I?

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I am so HAPPY! :)

Wednesday, October 18th, 2006

I just received a call today that my blog for teens: PPLYA / PARMATEENS was reviewed and approved by teens for VOYA! Yeah! Now I just have to finish transfering everything and make everything wonderful for the world to see. Unfortunately, I don’t know how many of the Hilton teens actually look at it…

A few last things…

Thursday, November 10th, 2005

(1) I had to kick teens out of the library for being way too rowdy. I hated doing this, because it made me feel like that cranky old librarian, shushing people and running anyone who couldn’t be absolutely quiet out of this library. This is not the type of person that I am, but they were driving everyone crazy. It made me feel weird, but it had to be done.

(2) There were two small children who insisted on yelling at each other and jumping on the new bean bags we got about a week ago. The mother did NOTHING AT ALL about it, SHHUSHing ocassionally, but never leaving her spot at the computer. After asking them not to bounce on the bean bag chairs one last time (of about literally 10 times), I noticed that they had mananged to bounce some of the bag beads right out of the bean bags. I was so mad that I had to leave, and luckily it was time for me to go anyway.

(3) I have decided that because of this, I am going to ask Sally (the director) if we can put some “rules” up. I think I want them to go something like this…

RESPECT…(1)Each Other
No yelling, screaming or fighting in the library
(2) the Library
Throw away your garbage, don’t jump or put your feet on the furniture
or in anyway purposely try to damage the furniture.
(3) Yourself
Don’t act in a way that you know is inappropriate,
you are only disrespecting yourself by doing these things.
(4) Library Staff
Treat us as you would want to be treated, we are only here to help.
Thank you!

Is it terrible when…

Monday, August 8th, 2005

Is it terrible when you have a summer reading program for teenagers and the only books that they can come up with to read is Mary Kate and Ashley books Calvin and Hobbs books and Saddle Club books? I’d like to throttle these guys, but then it occurs to me that at least they’re coming into the library and handing in a review.
Also, I called all the teens that participated and told them that they had a prize they had won and could pick up any time. Do you think that they would be happy, excited or grateful? If you said yes, you were sadly mistaken. They spoke to me the same way you would speak to a dentist after being told that you were going to be having some teeth pulled. I guess all I can do is keep trying.
Our library competed against three other library’s teens to see who could read the most. Parma read about 500 hours and two of the other libraries read almost 2000 hours each. I haven’t heard from the last library, but I’m thinking that she’s just as embarrassed as I am (because the two of us are much smaller communities than the other libraries) and doesn’t want to let us know what her total is.

Okay, I decided to look this up: (according to 2000 census)

Ogden population: 18,492
Parma population: 14,822
Hamlin population: 9,355
Brockport population: 8,103

Well, I guess that didn’t help me at all. Ogden won this year, but Brockport won last year. Oh well, I’ve only been working with the teens at my library for two years, and they’ve had a lot more time as well as, established TABs. All I have is occasionally five or six teens show up and want something to do.