Readers Theatre is Back!

The Library's Readers Theatre group will begin rehearsals in November, so if you are interested in joining, please call 732-5732 to sign up. You must be at least 8 years of age and able to attend all three rehearsals (November 2, 9, and 16) as well as Family Reading Night on November 19. Rehearsals will run from 3:30 - 4:45 PM. Family Reading Night Performance will begin at 5:30 PM.



This is a beginning drama group that encourages children to explore technics without memorization. Some members from last year took part in a film that was taken to the Rolling Prairie Youth Services Kick-off for Central Illinois libraries. Need more information? Just give me a call.

Tutor, Tutor, Help Me Out!

As the school year winds up and the review gives way to fresh and new material, the Library is often asked about tutors that can assist young students with homework, research, and basic skills. As we all know, everyone needs help with a concept now and then, but the cost and scheduling of individual tutors may be impractical for most families. So, we put on our thinking caps, looked at options, and have offerred two great homework helping programs for over a year now.



Monday through Thursday from 3:30 - 4:45, a couple of education majors from Lincoln University will be in the Annex to help students, ages 8 - 12 years, do homework, study for tests, or practice skills. They are located in the Annex building. Students may arrive after school, sign in, and start working. Please check the Library website and other postings for availability as the tutors follow the college schedule, not the local school districts'.



What about the student who can't make it to the library after school, or has a question about just one particularly difficult assignment? The second and most exciting program, Live Homework Help, is offerred EVERY DAY from 4 - 10 PM to learners Kindergarten through College and even adult! It is found on our website homepage. Just click on the icon that looks like a sun with orbitting planets, type in your Lincoln Public Library District card number, select the grade level and subject that you want assistance with and you are automatically hooked up with a live tutor who can provide professional help.



This is a safe, professional service to which the library subscribes. It is free to all our card holders. I presented the program to all the local schools and staff last fall. Now it offers even more age levels and a variety of assistance to adult learners, such as resume writing, GED work, and college coursework. FREE! There are even skill building exercises, resources, etc. that can expand on the topics independent of the tutors.



This service is an amazing tool for students, but is currently being under-utilized by our patrons. You can check out a demonstration any time of the day by accessing the program on our homepage. Parents, please do so! Discuss it with your friends, tell your neighbors or we will be unable to keep this service available for much longer. Give us your feedback!

School is Starting! Make the Library Part of Your Year!

Many of our young people are coming into the Library excited (or not) about the start of another school year. It seems like summer vacation just started! We have loved seeing each of our patrons throughout the last few months and want to encourage them to keep Library visits as a part of their regular routine. The Library is a great place to study, find reference materials to help out with a class project or paper, grab an uniterrupted half hour of reading time after school, or join a craft class.



We hope to add a few of our special activities back into the schedule this year as well. I will keep you posted on what ideas we are thinking about. We also welcome YOUR suggestions. Just click on the "Comment" word under this posting and tell us what YOU would like to see the Library explore as a class or club. Please put LIBRARY COMMENT in the subject field of your email so I will know it is not spam.



The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) and our Teen Volunteer Program need new members. Many of our past members have gone on to college this year! You do not have to be a member of both. Check in with the blog or look at the tri-pods to see when the first meeting will be held this Fall. I will also try to notify your school libraries.

Summer Reading 2009 Ends With Fun for All

Thursday, July 30, our Summer Reading Program: READ on the Wild Side, culminated with an awards ceremony attended by 150 adults, parents, grandparents, and care givers. Prizes were awarded to the top readers in each age category 5 - 12. Pre-school drawing winners and school trophy recipients were also announced. Shirts were then distributed to all the readers who reached their summer reading goal.

As the Youth Service Staff reflected back on this summer's program, we all agreed that this one was extra fun for the readers and all who participated. Of course, we could not have had such success without the support of all the Library staff, the committment of our Library Board, the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and care givers who not only read with and record logs with the readers, but bring the readers to the Library each week during the program. Our city schools are also a great support to the program. Not only do they allow me to visit with the students every spring to explain what the program has to offer, they also set summer school reading goals for their students. These are tracked throughout the summer, posted on our bulleting board, with trophies being awarded to the schools who reach their goal.

Another component our Summer Reading Program is our wonderful corporate sponsor, Weyerhaeuser, who allowed us to bring in such fabulous family entertainment each Thursday. Last, but certainly not least, we extend a big thank you to all our local sponsors who gave prizes or who gave donations to purchase all the shirts! Amounts large or small are all important to making a happy, fun, reading summer for the young people of our community.

We invite everyone to stop in the Youth Services Department in late August to view our scrapbook of the Summer Reading Program. Reading is such an important life skill. Ask questions about how you can be a part of this important community program that reaches approximately 500 children.

Decorations Go up for READ on the WIld Side

The Youth Services Department is busy decorating the Library Annex in preparation of this year's Summer Reading Program: READ on the Wild Side. June 1 - 6 will be the Kick-off and Sign-up Week with many "wild games" for young people to play while signing up for summer activities. sign up will continue in June for those not able to stop by the Library that week.

The Summer Reading Program has various levels from 6 moths - teens with readers receiving prizes throughout the summer. An Awards Program in August will complete the program where readers who meet their reading goals will receive a summer reading shirt. Top reader prizes will also be awarded.

There is something for everyone at the Library this summer! It's like a buffet: choose the parts you want to participate in and register! Story times, crafts, entertainment, new books, prizes, and fun...all for free!

Many local sponsors help to make this possible for our young people. Be sure to look at our bulletin board that lists all of our contributors and thank them for their support.

We have Butterflies!

The first batch of Painted Lady Butterflies has hatched! Watching the cycle from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly never stops amazing us. Each day the staff and many patrons stop by my office window in anticipation of seeing a new and remarkable phase in this promise of spring and renewal.

If you have not had a chance to come in and see this exhibit, the second batch have spun their cocoon and will probably hatch this week some time.

The first batch of butterflies will be released this afternoon, weather permitting. Maybe you will see one flying around!

New Books on the Non-fiction Shelves

Are you excited about Spring? We sure are here at the Library! One of our newest non-fiction books for spring is Backyard Vegetable Garden for Kids by Amie Leavitt. Use it to help you and your child plan your summer project.



Also new are two books on choosing and caring for a small pet: Skitter and Scoot: Bringing Home a Hamster and Scurry and Squeak: Bringing Home a Guinea Pig both by Amanda Tourville. These picture books are meant for a younger audience than most books on the subject, so will be great for those early readers.



For those readers who like biographies or racing, have fun reading about Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson by Matt Doeden.



Like gross books? Maybe Don't Touch That!: The Book of Gross, Poisenous, and Downright Icky Plants and Critters by Jeff Day will be just what makes your day. Maybe you want to learn more about the making of comics and graphic novels. John Hamilton's book, Graphic Novels, will guide you through the hows, whys, and wheres.



There are so many funny, informational books in the non-fiction sections of our shelves. Come in and browse. After all, spring has to have rainy days to make all those flowers bloom!

Welcome

Hello everyone! We are going to try something new here at Lincoln Public Library District. I am going to try a blog to keep you in touch with new books that have come to the Library Youth Services Department. As I learn more about this, we will expand to more information. Let me know how you like this!