tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.comments2024-03-18T20:12:23.855-04:00Adventures In Storytime (and Beyond)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comBlogger295125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-11738782819116244582024-03-18T20:12:23.855-04:002024-03-18T20:12:23.855-04:00I do, too. I am all for promoting reading and havi...I do, too. I am all for promoting reading and having additional programming in the summer since kids are out of school, but not the crazy, stressful circus it has become for many of us. It really disturbs me how as a profession we tend to fervently cling to certain practices just because that's how it's always been done, and resistant to critically examining what we do in light of abundant research. Every time this is mentioned in the online community, it's met with a chorus of "Yes, but..." rationalizations based in emotion, not evidence. It's just like how the education system ignored how phonics are critical for reading instruction for 20 years or more. I've been able to keep summer program manageable and not too much of a circus and people seem happy with it, but I do think they are totally over reading logs. We are an educated bunch; we should be able to find ways to promote, encourage, and facilitate reading that doesn't involve reading logs!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-48216904420304241592024-03-18T11:06:19.935-04:002024-03-18T11:06:19.935-04:00I wish more libraries would move away from incenti...I wish more libraries would move away from incentivized reading. The whole SRP idea does nothing but cause stress and anxiety for staff and I think it does on patrons as well. Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09682464748142064146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-60844619642997567852024-03-08T21:14:14.637-05:002024-03-08T21:14:14.637-05:00Short-staffed, over-worked, and under-appreciated,...Short-staffed, over-worked, and under-appreciated, especially by admin!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-34074372078510692692024-03-08T15:18:37.132-05:002024-03-08T15:18:37.132-05:00Short-staffed seems to be the name of the game at ...Short-staffed seems to be the name of the game at libraries everywhere, these days!!Jane @ Raincity Librarianhttp://www.raincitylibrarian.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-75338669230643815522024-03-02T10:58:18.983-05:002024-03-02T10:58:18.983-05:00I have noticed that, too, especially in the last t...I have noticed that, too, especially in the last two years, with all ages - even adults. People seem to be losing their natural sense of curiosity and wonder, the ability to problem solve, and are less able to deal with any difficulties, and less able to follow directions. Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-44403903041991119532024-03-01T14:59:56.599-05:002024-03-01T14:59:56.599-05:00That idea of a STEM mindset being a growth mindset...That idea of a STEM mindset being a growth mindset is so important - I have so many kids at my programs that really struggle when faced with any challenge. "I can't do it!!!!" is a commonly-heard refrain. Janehttp://www.raincitylibrarian.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-34087146200003279162024-01-25T18:24:02.209-05:002024-01-25T18:24:02.209-05:00We technically have toddler story times in my syst...We technically have toddler story times in my system but they're rarely offered - most branches offer a family story time (0-5 years) and a baby story time (0-18 months). Family story times tend to almost be toddler times anyway, since a lot of older kiddos are in preschool or daycare. They can be pretty madcap, with all that toddler energy, but I really do love them! Jane @ Raincity Librarianhttp://www.raincitylibrarian.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-11352506607509424952024-01-16T20:16:52.390-05:002024-01-16T20:16:52.390-05:00Yes, I've noticed that kids are more shy and t...Yes, I've noticed that kids are more shy and tend to stay with the parents more than before. I've also watched one of my little regulars blossom over the last two years. He was a shy homebody when his grandmother first started bringing him to storytime, then he develop a friendship with another boy his age, and gradually got to the point he'd play with anybody. He started preschool this year and has done really well. I'm glad I was able to play a small part in helping prepare him for this transition. I am so glad my kids weren't so little when the pandemic hit! Such a strange time. I definitely am not the same person as I was before, and I was middle-aged, not at a crucial developmental age.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-37803242659380065532024-01-16T16:20:44.695-05:002024-01-16T16:20:44.695-05:00My son was 10 months old in March of 2020 when eve...My son was 10 months old in March of 2020 when everything shut down, and his transition to preschool was really tough, he wasn't used to being apart from us or interacting with other kiddos! The first time I took him to a storytime post-pandemic he had a meltdown because he was so overwhelmed by all the noise from all the kids in the crowded space, and I was so overwhelmed by his reaction that I was reluctant to try again! The past few years have been so tough, it's a strange new world we're all navigating together. Janehttp://www.raincitylibrarian.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-12433391471950393732024-01-13T11:44:52.066-05:002024-01-13T11:44:52.066-05:00Sounds like a great webinar for all of us (and esp...Sounds like a great webinar for all of us (and especially admin, who unfortunately probably won't attend). I am still trying to figure out what programming in the new normal, and for this community, should look like. But I also still feel the pressure of expectations by the board and director that are not necessarily realistic. I'm seeing that the community just isn't as interested in school-age programming except during the summer, and sadly not really interested in STEM programming at all. I also have to keep reminding people that while my predecessor may have done more programming, she really didn't do any collection development and had more help (and better qualified help); I am trying to do everything. Hope to see you at ALSC! Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-77435067664407192672024-01-12T16:06:11.831-05:002024-01-12T16:06:11.831-05:00I'm hoping to go to ALSC too! I'm doing a ...I'm hoping to go to ALSC too! I'm doing a webinar soon on accepting and moving on with the "new normal" and letting go of how programs used to be.Jenniferhttps://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-36068701412307413932024-01-05T12:35:23.805-05:002024-01-05T12:35:23.805-05:00Good enough is more than enough sometimes, or, as ...Good enough is more than enough sometimes, or, as a family friend once said "a half-a***d job is better than no job at all". This has become my mantra, post-lockdowns, and four months into my second annual burnout from summer. <br />I don't have near as many job or location issues as you, so I just want to offer you a pat on the back for making it through, because gosh I do get it. I very much hope 2024 is better for you than 2023. In fact, I hope somehow it's the best year ever.Pollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17889429890904874130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-35969007773374523622024-01-02T14:52:16.791-05:002024-01-02T14:52:16.791-05:00I think learning to accept that "good enough&...I think learning to accept that "good enough" really is good enough can be really liberating. When the situation is largely outside of our control, or there are all sorts of factors at play that we can't manage, sometimes we just have to accept that we can only do so much, even if it falls below our normal standards. We're dealing with staffing shortages, and sometimes we can't do everything, and I could stress about it, but we're not surgeons, nothing we do is a matter of life and death. Very few things are the end of the world, and it's ok for things to not always be perfect, all the time. We can only do the best we can with what we have, and that's ok. Here's hoping for a healthy, happy, healing 2024. <3Jane @ Raincity Librarianhttp://www.raincitylibrarian.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-58836522311682721492023-12-22T12:31:54.123-05:002023-12-22T12:31:54.123-05:00Thanks for the idea! I'm going to use this to ...Thanks for the idea! I'm going to use this to explain melting in a preschool Science program. Kirstynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-72057120009954697492023-12-21T14:34:16.415-05:002023-12-21T14:34:16.415-05:00Every time someone shares their thoughts and feeli...Every time someone shares their thoughts and feelings and experiences like this, it helps someone else feel seen and heard and less alone. And that means a lot. <3 It seems like the past few years have been really awful for American librarians in particular, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better, and I'm so sorry to hear that. :'( You matter, and your work matters. Even if you only help one person in one moment, that's more than a lot of folks can say they do. <3 Take care of yourself. <3 Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-40680313484531241392023-12-11T08:11:13.283-05:002023-12-11T08:11:13.283-05:00UPDATE: I appreciate all the comments and words of...UPDATE: I appreciate all the comments and words of encouragement (and commiseration)! Our toxic director has resigned, so I'm hoping to see some improvements/lessening of stress. But after two years of chaos and abuse, I think it's going to be hard to regain my former level of enthusiasm, and I can only hope we end up with someone better.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-83877603327037574362023-12-07T14:48:25.006-05:002023-12-07T14:48:25.006-05:00Ah so sad to read this. I have grown to appreciate...Ah so sad to read this. I have grown to appreciate your blog as one of my favorite children's library services blogs! Your post about how library STEM programs usually emphasize coding and ignore the other "letters" like math and engineering made me think more carefully about the activities I present. <br /><br />I totally get the feelings of being burned out, especially after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a rough 2-3 years. I'm sorry that your former workplace terminated you and others so unceremoniously after you'd poured your heart into youth library services. I'm confident that the work you did left an impression on the young people and their grown-ups though, based on how thoughtful your writing is. I don't think it was wasted effort or time, and I hope that the skills that you developed will serve you well in your next job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-91289539184807769702023-11-20T18:49:21.699-05:002023-11-20T18:49:21.699-05:00Hello - I just sent you a longer email, but I want...Hello - I just sent you a longer email, but I wanted to each out and tell you I'm so sorry you are going through such a hard time. I only just discovered your blog and what an INCREDIBLE resource it is. <br /><br />I echo what the previous post said so eloquently - "you absolutely have made a significant difference on the lives of the families you've worked with. Staff and management will always turn over, but someone who is kind and listens to a child can cause a ripple effect in that child's life forever.". <br /><br />I think we can all take that to heart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-71090754594204501502023-11-18T15:30:04.325-05:002023-11-18T15:30:04.325-05:00All your feelings are valid. We've gone throug...All your feelings are valid. We've gone through so much as a profession these past few years. I came back into being a YS librarian after 2 years off with my baby during the pandemic. I came back with a renewed interest in boundaries and w-life balance, because I want to be there for my family after work and not devote all my emotional identity into my job. Some things that have helped are: therapy, 8 hours of sleep, therapy, exercise, meditation, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and streamlining YS programming whenever possible. I re-use a lot of my storytime plans for several months (swap out the books and a song or rhyme) because otherwise I'd burn out. (In my old job, twice a week I was doing a whole new storytime practically.) There's too much other stuff to do than making flannels once a week-- I don't have the time. I don't expect perfection for myself. Buddhism, meditation, and therapy have all helped propel me into a deeper self-compassion, which provides an ongoing easiness on myself and others. This has helped me remember that I can bring my whole self to work, yet it is still a job, and that I am still an amazing "me" after work. Please don't forget that you absolutely have made a significant difference on the lives of the families you've worked with. Staff and management will always turn over, but someone who is kind and listens to a child can cause a ripple effect in that child's life forever. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-5502199511506651952023-11-17T17:17:52.158-05:002023-11-17T17:17:52.158-05:00I appreciate your honest appraisal of all that has...I appreciate your honest appraisal of all that has happened, and how you view the field that I'm now entering! I ditto the above comments. I know one thing that stood out to me...that has helped me in a library where our management is really healthy...is allowing yourself to have very firm boundaries with patrons, including patrons with their kids. You are right (and this is something I ran into in the teaching field I left behind)...parents aren't parenting as much, and many people are entitled and easily angered. Stand firm. You have the right to set clear expectations that creates a culture of calm and respect, at least in your corner, your world, and your programs! State that up front and build policies that support that, and support your team members when they run into patrons that are expecting way too much and not being kind about it. I don't know how much of that is in your control, but if you or whoever is at a manager level can do that, that would be so helpful. <br />For example, at our story time, we state clearly that children aren't allowed to throw tantrums or "cry it out" in our public space where we give the story time. We give the parents a few minutes to calm their little down; if they cannot or will not, we reserve the right to ask them to "regroup" outside of the story time area so that we can hear ourselves read/sing/think, and it doesn't set off a domino effect of criers. In my time here, most parents understand- we say it every story time program, we post signs, etc. But, one time a parent (holding a screaming, flailing toddler who had already torn apart my flannel game and started flinging their clothing everywhere) complained when I asked her to step outside and regroup, saying I didn't understand children and wasn't patient because I didn't allow him to "cry it out" for longer than a few minutes. Thankfully, my managers stood by my decision. This boundary, though misunderstood by some, allowed others to better enjoy the story time, and allows children to learn self control. Other parents take their child outside, regroup, and come back (and are welcomed!). This is a small example, but little boundaries like that may help. I don't know if you've already tried that, but I hope you can find little lines to place in the sand that help stop the avalanche of being stepped on etc. that can happen SO easily in the public field! <br />Your work here alone shows how creative, helpful, and engaging you are. The field would be remiss to lose you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-8185748504071707432023-11-13T19:30:49.289-05:002023-11-13T19:30:49.289-05:00I appreciate this post and your honesty so much. T...I appreciate this post and your honesty so much. The burnout is so real, especially in the last 3 years. Everything you said here just resonated so much. Just wanted you to know you are not alone and you are very much appreciated by this librarian! I am positive you made and are making a difference in lives in numerous invisible ways you might not ever know. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-89322875993005507192023-11-13T11:10:25.171-05:002023-11-13T11:10:25.171-05:00The time between the pandemic and now in my YS lib...The time between the pandemic and now in my YS library career and life has been very tumultuous too. My work life has stayed okay even as the national industry stressors, political threats, and admin indifference have mounted in part because my branch is small and I and my coworkers trauma-bonded over the quarantine and subsequent rocky reopening. But I don't think that would be cutting the mustard if I didn't also make huge changes in my personal life during that time like starting therapy again and deciding to move back in with my family for good. The specter of burnout still creeps up on me from time to time, and when that happens, I'm very lucky to have a partner in my department of two that tells me to drop a plan or cut a program even when I don't want to.Iggi H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-29549926220272146772023-11-03T07:52:45.199-04:002023-11-03T07:52:45.199-04:00I got item #144012, which is a complete kit with c...I got item #144012, which is a complete kit with cage and 2 cups with 5 larvae each. Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-18961231461454911242023-10-31T16:47:17.509-04:002023-10-31T16:47:17.509-04:00Hello, and thank you for posting all of your findi...Hello, and thank you for posting all of your findings! We are planning to do this in April 2024. Looking at carolina.com and item # 144084, it only comes with 5 larvae. Did you order two? Thanks again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551723544134519.post-38740804879555367842023-10-31T08:10:00.048-04:002023-10-31T08:10:00.048-04:00I'll admit it's not as good as some other ...I'll admit it's not as good as some other cut&fold figures, as it ends up only looking good from the front. First print on cardstock and color as desired, then cut out around the perimeter. Next, cut around the top of the head and neck, separating it from the back side. Then fold in half & cut the little divit out of the curve of the back. So once it's folded, it will stand up, but it will have a "good" side with the complete body and head, and the "bad" side, that just has the body. Once could also color the back of the head. I hope that makes sense. I wish I could add photos in the comments.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857185361354967198noreply@blogger.com