StoryWalk© at Oregon Park West- How to Get Patrons on the Move!

What is a Storywalk©? It is a book that has been disassembled, laminated and presented page by page to promote reading and exercise on a trail, bike path, or in store windows. The StoryWalk© Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk© is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

Taking Advantage of the Pandemic to Reimagine Our Kids’ Space

This unprecedented year has been rough on us all. As the Assistant Director of a small public library developing and implementing dynamic children’s programming was at the forefront of brainstorms throughout my workweek. Pre-pandemic, my library staffed by five was akin to offering three-five programs a week for our community’s youth. I loved the challenge of finding new ways to engage my community’s youth in order to foster a lifelong life of learning and literacy.

Collaborating with Student Changemakers

Keeping students engaged with the library during the pandemic has been challenging. Over the past year as the building was closed or offered reduced hours, we haven’t been able to serve as the traditional third place where students can visit after school, gather to study, or meet for programs. However, our digital presence has remained constant and we have been able to meet many students where they are – at home.

Connecting Members Virtually During a Pandemic

In 2020, the Illinois Community of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) faced a new challenge: how to make members feel engaged and connected to their association and fellow members when in-person events were no longer an option. As president-elect, I was responsible for the bulk of our programming. Our most-loved events were all cancelled, including an in-person symposium, regional dine-arounds, and library tours.

Conversation with Nancy Ashbrook

My Library Is... Conversation with Nancy Ashbrook

Talking About Important Topics Through Reading

Lake Forest Library and Lake Bluff Public Library are proud to present their joint nonfiction reading program called Read Between the Ravines. This Two Communities, One Nonfiction Book program brings together Lake Forest and Lake Bluff with the purpose of enhancing nonfiction literacy and inspiring discussion around real-world issues.

Story by Amy Ambrosius on Mar 9, 2021

I am the Director at a small and very rural library, Rushville Public Library. My children are grown and we were cleaning out our garage. We had accumulated several sleds over the years. As with most of my items, I try and see if our library can use them before disposing of. We had another patron give us this art easel. I brought it outside and quickly made a sign. My husband dropped off the sleds and we just kind of threw it all together! I honestly did not care if the sleds made their way back to the library.

Story by Kim Murphy on Mar 2, 2021

We have been holding Youth Art month annually for many years. We invite all the art teachers in our school districts to bring student artwork to display the entire month of March.

Encouraging the Creative Spirit

We are all born with an innate creative spirit. As humans, we have the instinctive drive to create, and as someone who works in early literacy and with young children, my job is to nurture that creative spirit in our youngest library patrons. When I plan programs, my primary goal always revolves around the question, “How can I encourage children to think freely and creatively?”

Quincy's Funding Success Story in Recent Sparks Podcast

Representatives from Quincy Public Library (QPL) recently sat down and Zoomed in for a RAILS Sparks podcast to discuss their successful marketing campaign to stave off library budget cuts.

My Library Is ...

community engagement