Kids and Libraries

icerose · Nov 10, 2009

Today while I was out and about I swung by the library and grabbed a book for my two girls. On my way to grab one for my boy I saw they had the entire Children of the Lion series in the discard bin for 25 cents a book. Talk about a steal! So anyway by the time I found all the books, I had somewhere else to be and I totally spaced grabbing my boy a book.

When I was handing out the books it hit me that I had forgotten his book!

The library only stays open until 5:30. It was 5:15. When my son found out I didn't have a book for him, he was hurt. His tears welled up and tomorrow wasn't fast enough for a book. What new thing would he read tonight before bed?

So I shoved all the kids in the car (luckily it's only two blocks away) rushed down there and he happily trotted in, perused the titles, picked on in the a series he's been reading and with a giant grin checked it out.

He's six. All of my kids definitely took after me and my love of reading.

Smish · Nov 10, 2009

I'm glad your children like to read! And not just because I write for kids.

I'm surprised the library closes at 5:30 though. I hope it doesn't close that early every day. Working folks like to read, too. And if I can't get to the library, I might get a little teary myself...

Smish

MGraybosch · Nov 10, 2009

icerose said:
The library only stays open until 5:30. It was 5:15. When my son found out I didn't have a book for him, he was hurt. His tears welled up and tomorrow wasn't fast enough for a book. What new thing would he read tonight before bed?

That sounds like me when I was little. I had a serious jones back then. I still do.

icerose · Nov 10, 2009

Smish said:
I'm glad your children like to read! And not just because I write for kids.

I'm surprised the library closes at 5:30 though. I hope it doesn't close that early every day. Working folks like to read, too. And if I can't get to the library, I might get a little teary myself...

Smish

It does. We're an extremely small town. This library serves 1500 people. It's open from 9:00-5:30 M-F. It's closed on weekends. The selection is also small, Think of a small gas station and that's about the size of the library.

Still, they do try to keep a good variety, which means a lot of books go into the remainder bin so they can rotate out their books. Which means lots of cheap books.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 10, 2009

Wish my kids would read.

Smish · Nov 10, 2009

icerose said:
It does. We're an extremely small town. This library serves 1500 people. It's open from 9:00-5:30 M-F. It's closed on weekends. The selection is also small, Think of a small gas station and that's about the size of the library.

Still, they do try to keep a good variety, which means a lot of books go into the remainder bin so they can rotate out their books. Which means lots of cheap books.

It definitely makes me happy when small towns have good libraries. I grew up in a small town, and I have very fond memories of visiting the library, checking out new books (and signing my name in childish cursive on the check-out card), and petting the library cat, Spike.

It always makes me a bit sad when libraries don't reach as many people as they could, though. Most adults can only go to the library after work and on weekends. My city's library system recenty changed its hours, and now every branch is closed on Sunday. And Sunday was my favorite library day.

Couldn't a few of the larger branches be open a few hours on Sunday, or even just the main library? Sheesh!

:Soapbox:

Okay, sorry about the ranting! I'm finished now, promise!

icerose · Nov 10, 2009

They'd love to extend the hours but it would mean hiring another person and they simply can't afford to do it.

The librarians are lovely people though and work extremely well with kids. There are stacks of toys, pillows, puzzles, crayons, coloring pages, and kids books just for them. And they are great at recommendations. They do a story hour twice a week. It's a really neat library, it would be awesome if it were bigger and open more, but they do what they can.

They just started a writer's group as well, hosted in the library and the librarians have offered to switch off watching kids to get more people to come. How awesome is that?

Apsu · Nov 10, 2009

I love the library. The one we visit has a roof designed like a giant, open book

My eldest daughter volunteered there from 11 or 12 until she had to quit to go to college. My youngest might start volunteering there in a year or so.

It gets tons of patronage as well. It's fairly big (not as big as downtown Denver, which is huge, but fair sized for a suburban library), and parking is always full, and lines used to be unbearably long before they instituted self-check outs.

The librarians are wonderful.

I'm sure I'm talking about nothing really interesting, I just love to say nice things about our library. Despite how full it always is, the librarians have known us by name since the kids were babies. The kids love the events they have. They're crazy for the summer reading programs.

OK, I'm done rambling

{ETA} Oh, ding. After more than a year, I've finally reached post #100.

Pepper · Nov 10, 2009

I lived in the library when I was a kid. Mum used to take me and my sister there after school so we could check out all the new titles. After an hour or so of picking through the different books, I'd walk up to the counter, reach up, and dump my pile of books in front of the lady, holding up my very own library membership card with a huge grin. Mum always stood a few feet behind, rolling her eyes at the librarian with a smile.

Funnily enough, it was my Dad who taught me to love books. He has piles and piles of books. Mum always just listened to me talk about the books I read. It's a trend that hasn't stopped. Whenever I start one of my 'prattle sessions', she sits down and asks me what books I've read, or about the books I'm writing. I guess she figures she more than reaches her book quota that way.

maxmordon · Nov 10, 2009

icerose said:
Today while I was out and about I swung by the library and grabbed a book for my two girls. On my way to grab one for my boy I saw they had the entire Children of the Lion series in the discard bin for 25 cents a book. Talk about a steal! So anyway by the time I found all the books, I had somewhere else to be and I totally spaced grabbing my boy a book.

When I was handing out the books it hit me that I had forgotten his book!

The library only stays open until 5:30. It was 5:15. When my son found out I didn't have a book for him, he was hurt. His tears welled up and tomorrow wasn't fast enough for a book. What new thing would he read tonight before bed?

So I shoved all the kids in the car (luckily it's only two blocks away) rushed down there and he happily trotted in, perused the titles, picked on in the a series he's been reading and with a giant grin checked it out.

He's six. All of my kids definitely took after me and my love of reading.

Wow! Makes me think little sister is getting behind, she's turning 5 and can only write her name at the moment.

Mom used to read me before going to sleep, she read me Around The World in 80 Days and started to read me Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I ended up finishing the book and was the first novel I read from cover to cover. I was 9, I think and never turned back ever since.

icerose · Nov 10, 2009

maxmordon said:
Wow! Makes me think little sister is getting behind, she's turning 5 and can only write her name at the moment.

Mom used to read me before going to sleep, she read me Around The World in 80 Days and started to read me Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I ended up finishing the book and was the first novel I read from cover to cover. I was 9, I think and never turned back ever since.

My son has come huge leaps and bounds in a year. At the beginning on K he couldn't write or read anything. He was doing well in math, but he refused to even try the whole reading and writing thing. By the end of K he could read and write 50 sight words which was quite ahead of his class. He's now in 1st grade and he's doing really well.

willietheshakes · Nov 11, 2009

maxmordon said:
Wow! Makes me think little sister is getting behind, she's turning 5 and can only write her name at the moment.

Mom used to read me before going to sleep, she read me Around The World in 80 Days and started to read me Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I ended up finishing the book and was the first novel I read from cover to cover. I was 9, I think and never turned back ever since.

< derail/ >

God, I'm old.

< /derail >

colealpaugh · Nov 11, 2009

Smish said:
Couldn't a few of the larger branches be open a few hours on Sunday, or even just the main library? Sheesh!

Hey, now, some of us are married to library directors and don't see enough of them as it is.

Pepper · Nov 11, 2009

maxmordon said:
Wow! Makes me think little sister is getting behind, she's turning 5 and can only write her name at the moment.

Mom used to read me before going to sleep, she read me Around The World in 80 Days and started to read me Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, I ended up finishing the book and was the first novel I read from cover to cover. I was 9, I think and never turned back ever since.

willietheshakes said:
< derail/ >

God, I'm old.

< /derail >

Crap, that makes me feel old and I'm not even old! :e2bummed:

fringle · Nov 11, 2009

Good for you. You taught them well!

maxmordon · Nov 11, 2009

Come on, folks. I am only 18! I am the one who feels awkward...

God, I am a baby...

seun · Nov 11, 2009

Here's a kids and library story...

This morning, we had an abandoned child (no older than a year) in a pushchair here in the library. One of my colleagues sat with the kid, reading her a story while others announced over the tannoy that if the parent was around, could they come and get their kid. No reply. So we brought the kid to a back office while someone went to call the police. Just before they did, it turned out the kid wasn't abandonded. Her dad was on a computer with his ipod on, a good 20 feet from where he'd left his child. He'd had no idea his kid was apparently missing.

This heartwarming story was brought to you by Me. :evil

Moost · Nov 11, 2009

I lived at the library when I was a child.

Now, the sight of the college academic library sends shivers down my spine.

I can't wait to have kids

icerose · Nov 11, 2009

seun said:
Here's a kids and library story...

This morning, we had an abandoned child (no older than a year) in a pushchair here in the library. One of my colleagues sat with the kid, reading her a story while others announced over the tannoy that if the parent was around, could they come and get their kid. No reply. So we brought the kid to a back office while someone went to call the police. Just before they did, it turned out the kid wasn't abandonded. Her dad was on a computer with his ipod on, a good 20 feet from where he'd left his child. He'd had no idea his kid was apparently missing.

This heartwarming story was brought to you by Me.

Wow that is...sad. Whenever I'm doing something distracting and not at home, I make sure my ears are clear because I need to make sure 1. they're okay and 2. they aren't causing any problems.

Thankfully the kid wasn't abandoned!

heyjude · Nov 11, 2009

That's awesome, icerose. You've inspired me. I haven't visited our local library yet since we've moved here. We're gonna do it this week.

happywritermom · Nov 11, 2009

I was a library addict when I was a kid. They gave me an adult card when I was six and I would check out 10 or 11 books at a time. Then I'd carry them the whole one-mile walk home.

My older kids (8 and 9) are hungry readers too. The twins love to be read to and move to pretend to read, but I feel bad that we haven't read to them as often as we did the older kids at this age (2.5). They are just too wild. After one book, they are grabbing all the books from me. I'm not giving up though!

~*Kate*~ · Nov 11, 2009

Our library is awesome, especially the kids' section. All of the picture books are on forward facing shelves at eye level (kind of like these) so even the littlest kids can browse for themselves.

Cute story-- it's the Blair Library, and I had a little girl in my preschool class named Blaire who called it "my library." *awwww*

MsGneiss · Nov 11, 2009

icerose said:
Today while I was out and about I swung by the library and grabbed a book for my two girls. On my way to grab one for my boy I saw they had the entire Children of the Lion series in the discard bin for 25 cents a book. Talk about a steal! So anyway by the time I found all the books, I had somewhere else to be and I totally spaced grabbing my boy a book.

When I was handing out the books it hit me that I had forgotten his book!

The library only stays open until 5:30. It was 5:15. When my son found out I didn't have a book for him, he was hurt. His tears welled up and tomorrow wasn't fast enough for a book. What new thing would he read tonight before bed?

So I shoved all the kids in the car (luckily it's only two blocks away) rushed down there and he happily trotted in, perused the titles, picked on in the a series he's been reading and with a giant grin checked it out.

He's six. All of my kids definitely took after me and my love of reading.

Icerose - I can so relate. The library is the number one destination for my four-year-old. We've never had a toy store tantrum, but there have been several incidents of tears when I told him that he couldn't take the 20th book out because the other 19 he picked were going to be too heavy to carry home. I love the library, and am so happy that there's one right across the street from my house. On days when it's closed (like today) our routine is completely messed up. Kids who love the library make me smile big time.

icerose · Nov 11, 2009

Aww, that is so cute. And yeah, my kids don't cry over things, but they will cry for books. People around here think I have the weirdest kids. In the store they'll run past the candy displays right to the apples and beg me to pretty please buy them an apple and don't forget the brocolli!

Same goes for books. They'll go past toys and everything else to get to the books.

Pepper · Nov 11, 2009

icerose said:
In the store they'll run past the candy displays right to the apples and beg me to pretty please buy them an apple and don't forget the brocolli!

How on earth did you get your kids excited about brocolli???

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