School/public library cooperative programs

Introduction

The AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee on School/Public Library Cooperation aims to design and conduct a project of mutual interest and benefit to the three participating ALA Divisions, working from a platform identified by the AASL/ALSC/YALSA Presidents-Elect.

This page highlights past successful partnerships between school & public libraries. Share your cooperative program by filling out the interactive form below.  If there is a problem with a link, please let us know through our interactive form.

Interactive form for schools/public libraries to submit other partnerships.

Contents

   

Assignment Alert Programs

Title of Program: Assignment Alert
Type of Program: Assignment Alert
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: We also do an Assignment Alert which is faxed to the public libraries. A copy of the alert is on one of the public libraries' home page and is being put on our home page. This alerts the librarians on upcoming assignment that students will be doing.
Contact Information:
Rose Tobiassen
rtobiass@mw.k12.ny.us

Title of Program: Assignment Alert
Type of Program: Assignment Alert
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: A service provided by the Multnomah County Library School Corps for teachers and school library staff working in Multnomah County schools. Teachers and school library staff fill out our online form to share their assignments with the Multnomah County School Corps librarians. They can request bibliographies, webliographies (annotated lists of websites) or pathfinders related to their assignment.
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Lead Worker
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: Middle School Teacher Resource Center
Type of Program: Assignment Alert
Age level: Middle school
Description of Program: The Middle School Teacher Resource Center is an online website that supports Portland Public School teachers and librarians. This online resource links teachers with librarians (school and Multnomah County Library) and curriculum specialists. Specific goals are to: help librarians and curriculum specialists reach and help more teachers and students; allow teachers, librarians and curriculum specialists to share their "best" units, and allow centralized librarians (Prof. Library, School Librarians & Public Librarians) to serve more schools.
This website specifically provides:

  • Lesson Plan Database--an archive of continually growing curriculum activities and resources searchable by grade level, curriculum area and topic. This website allows the lesson plans (pathfinders) to be collaboratively developed and shared by teachers, Professional Library, TOSA's and Multnomah County Library to specific teacher needs.
  • Curriculum assistance--online curriculum "help request" for teachers that immediately alerts the school librarian & curriculum specialist, Professional Library and Multnomah County Library to specific teacher needs.

Contact Information:
Doni Stewart
Portland Public Schools
Portland, OR
dstewart@pps.k12.or.us


   

Book Collections/Kits

Title of Program: Bucket of Books
Type of Program: Book Collections/Kits
Age level: Elementary/Secondary (K-12)
Description of Program: In fall 2002 the Multnomah County Library School Corps debuted a new program for educators: Bucket of Books. Each bucket contains 24-30 books plus a teacher's guide. The teacher's guide includes an annotated list of age-appropriate Web sites on the topic, a pathfinder for doing research on the topic at Multnomah County Library, and instructions on how to obtain additional copies of the books. Some buckets also contain an Internet scavenger hunt for students. Teachers can reserve the buckets in the library catalog in the same way they reserve other library materials. The buckets are funded by the Friends of the Library. URL: www.multcolib.org/schoolcorps/bucket.html
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Team Leader
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: PAL PAK
Type of Program: Book Collections/Kits
Age level: K-8th grade
Description of Program: In an effort to share resources and expand services to the Orland Park students, the Orland Park Public Library instituted a unique program to provide materials to the teachers in the local schools which would enhance their lesson plans on a variety of topics. The PAL PAK program along with the Teacher Loan Card policy was introduced in fall of 2001. PAL PAKS are comprised of 15 – 30 books, audiovisual materials and props related to thematic units on a variety of subjects and geared for grades K – 5 and packaged in a rubber tote. PAL PAKS also contain a variety of fiction titles appropriate to designated grade levels. These variety packs serve K – 8 students.
The Library Board passed a policy allowing teachers in the schools that service Orland Park students to have access to our materials on a longer checkout time and their administrators have agreed to be fiscally responsible for lost and damaged materials. This service compliments the PAL PAK program when teachers wish to supplement their classroom and school library collections with materials from the public library.
The PAL PAK program initially requires knowledge of what the teachers need, what their administration is willing to do to collaborate, and whether this service will truly benefit the children. After almost two full years of providing thematic units to the teachers, we find that more PAKS are being requested; the teachers are requiring new subject units to be created, and that individual teachers are requesting “personalized” PAKS for their special needs children. Our statistics have shown an increase of PAK use over this last school year, and more units are in the process of being created.
We hope that other public libraries may benefit from our experience because this program is one that can be emulated by other libraries. Understandably, in this uncertain economy, libraries must find the means to share resources without depleting their own budgets and collections. This program may be modified to utilizing more of existing collections by creating more variety PAKS of duplicate titles, and using the paperback as the preferred format. Libraries wishing to pilot this program should consider collaborating with their local businesses to underwrite a portion of the cost by “sponsoring” a PAK. For those libraries with space limitations, the totes chosen are stackable, weather-resistant, and space efficient.
In the interest of economic prudence it has become necessary for educational institutions to collaborate and share their resources for the educational benefit of the children.
Contact Information:
Marilyn Heintz, School Liaison
Orland Park Public Library
14760 Park Lane
Orland Park, IL 60462
heintzmoppl@yahoo.com

Title of Program: Partner in Education supporting the Lee County School Resource Center
Type of Program: Book Collections/Kits
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Primary
Description of Program: Partners in Education support the School Resource Center program which was created to collect and store reusable items donated by business and individuals to benefit the schools. Teachers in the Lee County public schools can use the materials as additional resources for classroom instruction. Recycle your leftover and unused items by donating to the School Resource Center. Teachers can use them to enrich the learning process.

Items that can be found at the School Resource Center include items from all 12 of the libraries in the Lee County Library System. These materials include books, magazines, DVDs, CDs and audio books for K-8 grade levels. Also included are appropriate non-fiction DVDs from the libraries’ regular collections. These items are in used but good condition and are relatively recent, but they are no longer needed in the libraries due to the constantly changing nature of public library collections. New library items arrive at the School Foundation monthly.

The library system delivers approximately 300 boxes of library materials per year, with approximately 20 items per box.

Name of Contact Person: Deb Czarnik
Title of Contact Person: Library Manager for Technical Services and Collection Management
School/Library Name: Foundation for the Lee County Schools/Lee County Library System
Mailing Address: Library Processing Center, 881 Gunnery Road North, Suite 2, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
Phone: (239) 533-4180
Email Address: dczarnik@leegov.com
URL of Library: http://www3.leegov.com/library/

Title of Program: Youth Outreach / Words on Wheels  (WOW)
Type of Program: Book Collections/Kits
Age level: birth to five
Description of Program: .
Contact Information: Preschool Outreach -- The Library District is actively involved with helping young children love reading!  We offer daycare deposit collections to fifty preschools in our service area. We also visit preschools and daycares with literacy enhanced library storytimes that use a combination of books, fingerplays, songs, flannel boards, and movement activities to teach early literacy skills and an appreciation of books.Outreach staff is also available to create library and literacy based trainings for preschool teachers and parents.
Contact Information:
Mary Nelson Brown
Youth Services Coordinator
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 507-3596
brownm at lvccld.org


   

Book Discussion Groups

Date: 07-20-09 
Title of Program:  Guys and Books 
Type of Program:  Book Discussion Groups
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 4-12
Description of Program: Guys and Books is a program to support boys in grades 4-6th grades that love books and engage more boys in grades 4-6th to read for pleasure while providing an opportunity for high school boys to actively participate in their community. The goal is to create a self sustaining program in which boys of all ages will engage in reading for pleasure.

High School boys lead an active book discussion with boys in 4-6th grade. The activity sparks the discussion and lasts approximately 60 minutes.

The School Librarian supervises the meeting. However, since she is female, she remains in the background.

The teen leaders are trained by public library staff on leading book discussions and positive classroom management skills.
 
Name of Contact Person: Pam Jankowski 
Title of Contact Person: Public Services Supervisor 
School/Library Name: Cuyahoga County Public Library, Fairview Park Branch 
Mailing Address: 21255 Lorain Road, Fairview Park, OH 44126 
Phone: (440) 333-4700 
Email Address: pjankowski@cuyahogalibrary.org
URL of Library: http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: Blog: www.guysandbooks.blogspot.com

Date: 06/18/09 
Title of Program:  Lunch Time Book Club 
Type of Program: Book Discussion Groups
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 5-8
Description of Program: The Basalt Regional Library District has funding for programming, but they are short on space and have a difficult time getting interested teems to remember to attend programs.  The local middle school has little funding and less staff, but plenty of space and students available. 

For the past two years, the school and public library have partnered to hold a book club once a week during the students’ lunch periods during the winter months.  The teens in the book club are allowed to go first in the lunch line and then bring their lunches into the library.  The 5th and 6th graders meet together for one club and the 7th and 8th graders meet together for the other club.

The students vote on which books to read, and the public library provides a copy of the book for each student.  The teens set the pace for reading, and they do well discussing on their own with occasional guidance from either the school or public librarians; both librarians read each title so the book club can take place even if there is a librarian’s absence. 

The last meeting of each year is spent evaluating the club and talking about the public library (and getting ideas for programming there). Gradually, there has been an increase in the number of teens remembering to attend library programs, and many participants are either from the book club or friends of someone in the book club.

Name of Contact Person: Keri Weston 
Title of Contact Person:Youth Services Librarian 
School/Library Name: Basalt Regional Library District 
Mailing Address: 99 Midland Avenue, Basalt, CO 81621 
Phone: (970) 927-4311 
Email Address: kweston@marmot.org
URL of Library: http://www.basaltrld.org
URL of School: http://bms.rfsd.k12.co.us

Date: 07-08-09
Title of Program: Northridge Middle School Book Club
Type of Program: Book Discussion Groups
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 6-8
This is a book discussion group which is based on Indiana's Young Hoosier nominees. It is held monthly and separated by grade levels. The students come to the library during their lunch period and talk about a book that was chosen the month before from the Young Hoosier list. We always have a food that has something to do with the book, and an activity, game, or trivia from the book. The school librarian and I collaborate on this (I am a teen librarian at a public library). We have done it for 3 years. Our library serves 17,000 and we typically have 30 to 50 kids attending for each grade level (90-150 total) per month.

Name of Contact Person: Kim Blaha
Title of Contact Person: Youth Services Librarian
School/Library Name: Middlebury Community Public Library
Mailing Address: 101 E Winslow, Middlebury, IN 46540
Phone: (574) 825-5601
Email Address: kimb@mdylib.in.us
URL of Library: http://www.mdy.lib.in.us
URL of School: http://www.mcsin-k12.org/nms

Title of Program: Reading Connections @ the Guilderland Public Library: Linking Parents and Teens
Type of Program: Book Discussion Groups
Age level: Secondary (Middle and high school)
Description of Program: I am finishing up the first year of (hopefully) a two year grant collaborating with our local school district.
Here is a brief description: The Guilderland Public Library is one of 18 public libraries throughout the State that has been awarded a Parent and Child Library Services grant from the New York State Library, New York State Education Department. Reading Connections @ The Guilderland Public Library: Linking Parents and Teens is a program of book discussions led by the Guilderland young adult librarian and Farnsworth Middle School librarians. Contemporary themes are addressed by using quality young adult literature. Various options are available for discussing each of the three books read throughout the year; teen only book discussion sessions, parent only book discussion sessions, and book discussion sessions and Internet "chat forums" open to all participants. The project will culminate with the author of one of the featured books participating in book discussion sessions with the groups as well as presenting a public talk at the Guilderland Public Library. For this first year the participants have been 8th graders and parents. The second year of the grant expands to the High School with the addition of 9th graders and parents. For the grant's first year, the public library young adult librarian and the middle school librarians worked together to arrive at the books for discussion by the group.
Hidden Talents by David Lubar
Persepolis : The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde
Vivian Vande Velde will visit the library in June for two programs:
Friday evening, June 4th - participation in book discussion groups focusing on Heir Apparent and other books by the author.
Saturday afternoon, June 5th -Every Life Needs a Little Fantasy: a public talk at the Guilderland Public Library
The Middle School librarian and myself recently presented at a NYLA conference. Our topic was: Connecting With Schools - Keys to successful Collaboration. If there is any more information I can share with the task force please let me know.
Contact Information:
Karen Balsen
Assistant Director
The Guilderland Public Library
2228 Western Avenue
Guilderland, New York 12084
518-456-2400 ext. 11

Title of Program: "Word of the Week" Book Discussion Group
Type of Program: Book Discussion Groups
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: I have been working with one of the elementary school's resource persons on a book discussion group relating to their character education "word of the week". We meet at lunch time with the kids and read books relating to a word of the week and discuss what that word means and how it relates to their lives. I have used the website http://mercury.educ.kent.edu/helpingbooks/ to prepare the discussion and choose materials. This is part of my regular outreach.
Contact Information:
Deborah L. Dubois
Children's Outreach Librarian
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library


   

Community Reading Projects

Date: 07-13-09 
Title of Program:  Global Reading Challenge 
Type of Program: Community Reading Projects
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 4-5
Description of Program: The Global Reading Challenge is a Battle of the Books program for 4th and 5th graders enrolled in the Seattle Public Schools. The program encourages children to have fun and enjoy the sport of reading. After reading 10 books, children take part in a "Quiz Bowl" game to determine the winner for the city of Seattle. The winning Seattle team takes home the Global Reading Challenge traveling trophy and goes on to a videoconference challenge between Seattle and Fraser Valley and Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.

Global Reading Challenge Mission: To encourage reading as a fun and recreational activity that allows 4th and 5th grade students of all reading abilities to engage in the sport of reading. This citywide program is a collaborative effort between The Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Public Schools.

Goals
1.      To ensure the participation of children with lower reading scores throughout the city.
2.      To foster teamwork and cooperative thinking.
3.      To build strong relationships between The Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Public Schools.
4.      To share quality children’s literature with the participants that represents a diversity of experiences at a variety of reading levels.
 
Name of Contact Person: Mary Palmer 
Title of Contact Person: Children’s Librarian 
School/Library Name: The Seattle Public Library 
Mailing Address: 1000 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 
Phone: (206) 386-4674 
Email Address: mary.palmer@spl.org
URL of Library: http://spl.org
URL of School: http://www.seattleschools.org
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: Webinar: http://www.webjunction.org/children/-/articles/content/68202071

Title of Program: One Book Two Villages
Type of Program: Community Reading Projects
Age level: Secondary (high school)
Description of Program: This year New Trier High School Library participated with the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library on the public library's "One Book Two Villages" program. It was a community reading project like Chicago's One Book One Chicago. The book was Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonders and there were discussions/promotions all over town. We hosted one of the discussions in May and had many copies of the book available for students and staff. Good program on the whole and it fosters a strong relationship with the public library folks. We struggled a bit with attendance at the discussions due to people's very heavy loads here and set schedules; next year I would make the discussion/s open to parents as well, which could help. Thanks for the opportunity to offer input!
Contact Information:
Anne O'Malley
New Trier HS/Northfield Campus
OMalleyA@newtrier.k12.il.us
 


   

Delivery to Schools

Title of Program: Library Linx: Bringing the Public Library to Schools
Type of Program: Delivery to Schools
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Primary and secondary
Description of Program: Library Linx is a cooperative project between the Deschutes Public Library in central Oregon, and 3 school districts.  Students and teachers can place holds on public library materials, which are then taken to a central location for each school district, and delivered to schools by school courier. Delivery is 5 days a week.  Linx schools are selected when they are able to meet their responsibilities, which include having a regularly scheduled media manager, and opportunities for public library staff to speak to teachers twice a year, and students twice a year, about library services and resources.  In the past, they were also required to support the media center with a budget that was half of the national median expenditure per student, but that has been eliminated due to the serious financial situation in two of our school districts.  The first four years was entirely paid for by the public library.  Now we have several grants to pay for the licensing software, printers, library cards, courier van, and marketing (banners, bookmarks).  The library still pays for the computers.  Library Linx will include 17 schools by the fall of 2009.

Name of Contact Person: Heather McNeil
Title of Contact Person: Youth Services Coordinator
School/Library Name: Deschutes Public Library
Mailing Address: 601 NW Wall Street, Bend, OR 97701
Phone: (541) 617-7099
Email Address: heatherm@dpls.us
URL of Library: http://www.dpls.us

Title of Program: Various
Type of Program: Delivery to Schools
Age level: Various
Description of Program: This is a compilation of messages the task force received from Susan Ludington of Deschutes Public Library about book delivery programs between public libraries and schools.
Susan writes: "About a month ago I inquired about examples of book delivery programs between public libraries and schools, specifically those that allow students and teachers to request public library materials via the online catalog and then have those requested items delivered to the appropriate schools. I'm including the compiled list of responses below, but a couple of generalizations:
*The trend has been to have all student holds placed using a school/teacher/media specialist library card, and items are checked out at the public library using that card prior to delivery to the school(s)
*Courier service is typically carried out by the school districts, rather than the public library; however, there are exceptions to this, or modifications (e.g., Cranston Public Library)
Thanks to everyone who responded. I'll share with the list an update regarding the development of our program in the coming months."
Contact Information:
Susan Ludington
Young Adult/Outreach Services Librarian
Deschutes Public Library
susanl@dpls.lib.or.us

Heather Wallen
Elmhurst, IL
I am a liaison to our local high school, so when teachers request materials for their students I either pull them or ILL them, then use a van delivery service (run by the schools) to get the materials there. The high school teachers don't use the service much, but I think my colleague sends things to the lower grades more often. It works well when I need it, though.

Michelle A Vallee
Coordinator of Children's Services
Cranston Public Library
Cranston, RI
We are a medium-sized library system: one central library with five branches. If individual teachers or students request materials using their own card, then we do not send the materials to the school. Here's how we connect with our middle and elementary schools when the school makes the request:
*Requested materials are taken by our system delivery person to the central school library office. (We have a Monday through Friday delivery, so when ever the materials are requested, it's no problem to send them out.)
*Within the public school system, a delivery person works daily and goes to any school where a delivery is needed.
*Checking out the materials at the school library is done in accordance with their policies. (They can issue temporary barcodes that work with their tech system. Schools use Follette; we're on Horizon.)
*Returning material is handled in the same way: school office to library delivery person, back to sending library.
Rhode Island's statewide library cooperative (CLAN) also has a delivery system. This system has regularly scheduled delivery stops at most high schools in the state. So we simply "bag" the requested materials (again, that would be materials requested by the school, not an individual) and the state delivery system picks them up. When delivering, the driver also retrieves materials to be returned.
As far as "outcomes", we're very much aware that this reciprocity is a good thing. It's cemented our relationship here in Cranston, as well as statewide.
Of course, we still moan and groan about not knowing in advance about some assignments...but that's probably a permanent condition!
I hope this helps you. If you need more specific info, let me know and I'll connect you with people who are more involved in the delivery aspect.

Wayne Grimm
Library Media Specialist
Conestoga Middle School
Beaverton, OR
When I was at Tigard Public Library, we had a setup with the Tigard-Tualatin school district where their courier would stop by whenever we had books or materials to deliver to one of the schools in the area. This was actually pretty seldom--once or twice a month--and we'd just call the school district courier whenever there was a pickup ready; they'd swing by when they were out on their route that day.
The school librarian was always the point of contact for receiving, distributing & returning all pub. library materials (before sending them out we'd check them out to a special account we'd created for the school, with the LMS as primary contact). If the books were to go out to individual students once arriving at the school, the LMS would keep track of their circulation with a manual signout list.
It was a nice setup, and one I miss here in Beaverton. Our school district won't consider adding the public library as a courier stop (as it is, they've already had to cut back courier service to elementary schools to every other day), and the Beaverton City Library hasn't come up with a way to make it work from their end...
I don't think the arrangement at Tigard did much to boost circulation, really, but it was a great way for me to keep in contact with and collaborate with the school librarians--and through them, with the teachers. Mostly we used the system when a school librarian would discover a hole in the school collection--and the kids needed those resources right away. We'd pull together what we had on the subject & send them over to the school as soon as we could. I also had teachers & school librarians using this option when they were a few short on multiple copies of novels for class study, literature circles, etc. The communication about what was needed & when almost always happened through a phone call or an e-mail from a school librarian (though I got the ball rolling by going out to the media specialists' meetings to let them know the service was available).
We never did use this delivery setup to allow individual students (& teachers) to place items on hold online & then have them delivered to their school--I would love to see such a service for my students & teachers, but the logistics of it seem pretty daunting. Good luck with your project--let us know how it develops--

Melissa Jones
Director of Youth Services
Schaumburg Township District Library
Schaumburg, IL
We have had a book delivery program in place for many years. The delivery van is run by the local public school district. It travels once each week between the 27 public schools in the district and the library. The teachers call in for a bag of 20 books for their classroom. The books are checked out to the school. The book statistics are part of our YS circulation statistics. Students may not request materials through this program. We send out on average 50 bags of books weekly during the school year, so this adds to our circulation statistics. The library handles the book check out and check in and the school assumes the delivery responsibilities.

Stephanie Squicciarini
Teen Services Librarian
Fairport Public Library
Fairport, NY
We are a school district public library, meaning our budget is voted on directly by the community considered to be part of the school district. This allows for some natural cooperation, one being a school district courier service...
Courier Service: We do have a service, actually, an employee of the school district that transports materials between the schools and the public library (I work at the public library). This helps with books that the schools need for assignments, book discussions (teachers and students) and for books returned to the wrong library - that is, if someone returns a book here that belongs to one of the schools, which happens frequently, we just send it on in delivery. Students also often return our books to their school libraries, so they get sent back to us.
Circulation: Only our staff does any checking in/out here. I cannot speak to any training that goes on at the schools, but we are on different systems so our books would not get checked in/our there...we charge them out to the school's library card - which can also be used by teachers if they are checking out books to use in the classroom.
Outcomes: This has been in place since well before I started here. I don't think it increases circulation substantially, but it does make things easier for us and our patrons. They see the connection between the two and are pleased that their books will ultimately get in the right place. It is always well-used and very effective. I also use this service to get other materials to the school librarians - fliers about our programs, professional books they might be interested in, etc.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if you need me to clarify or expand on anything.

Ria Newhouse
Teen Services Librarian
Hancock County Public Library
Greenfield, IN
We use a courier service to deliver books to schools in the county. We are a county-wide library and teachers can call, email, or fax requests to us for a collection. They may want 50 books on frogs or a collection of 150 biographies, etc. The request goes to the associated department and they fill the request. The books are put in plastic tubs, noted what school they're going to, and then the courier picks them up and delivers them to the schools. Each courier trip costs $15 and my library eats the cost. When the teacher is done, she/he calls and lets us know and then we arrange for the courier to do a pick-up and deliver the tubs back to us.
Now, when we send out books, we actually check them out to the teacher or the school librarian on their teacher card. They can have extended loans with these cards. They are, however, responsible for all of the materials and any fines associated with the materials. This hasn't been truly successful and we do end up waiving a lot of fines.
Teachers do utilize the service and I do think circ stats go up because of it. In any given month I usually send out 3-4 collections, usually about 20 items.
Hope this helps, feel free to ask any questions.


   

Large, Systemwide Initiatives

Date: 06/16/09
Title of Program:  A+ Partners in Education
Type of Program: Large, Systemwide Initiatives
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Preschool-Grade 12
Description of Program: Launched in 2002, the A+ Partners in Education initiative is a system-wide partnership between Howard County Library (MD) and the Howard County Public School System.  The partnership’s vision is to expand the educational opportunities and enhance the academic achievement of each student.  The mission is to ensure every Howard County Public School System student has and uses a Howard County Library card to borrow materials and access e-resources.

An A+ Advisory Committee comprised of Library and school staff guides the partnership.  The committee meets

bi-monthly to review partnership activities, discuss school and Library goals, and develop future initiatives. 

Each school is assigned to a Library branch and connected with a Library liason, who communicates with the media specialist and other school faculty.

The Library develops curriculum-related classes and promotes them to teachers and PTAs at Back to School nights and other events throughout the year.  Library instructors teach these  classes in the schools and Library branches.

Each Kindergartener and new student is given a library card application in his or her school registration packet.  The application is completed with school forms and returned to the school, where personnel forward the application to the Library.  Library cards are mailed to students at their homes.

Name of Contact Person: Kelly Shimabukuro
Title of Contact Person: Community Education and Partnerships Coordinator
School/Library Name: Howard County Library
Mailing Address: 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045
Phone: (410) 313-7750
Email Address: kelli.shimabukuro@hclibrary.org
URL of Library: http://hclibrary.org

Date: 07-08-09 
Title of Program:  Children’s Initiative 
Type of Program: Large, Systemwide Initiatives
Intended Grade Level of Participants:  Grades 1-5
Description of Program: Children's Initiative is a partnership between the Orange County (FL) public school system (OCPS) and Orange County Public Library System (OCLS). There are 117 elementary schools in Orange County. Each elementary school has a library liaison assigned to it. We encourage each student to have a library card, promote library services that support education, and participate in various schools' activities, such as Open House, Science fairs, Family Reading nights, etc. Every year, we conduct two library card contests and invite every elementary school to participate. We reward teachers who participate in library card contests by sending prizes to them and their students and by sending the names of the winners to the OCPS board and the Superintendent. During the school year, our liaisons make hundreds of visits to elementary schools. At the end of each school year, we give extra recognition to schools that made a strong effort promoting the library by placing their names on the Library's Honor Roll.  We send them award certificates, put up posters with these schools' names at each OCLS location, and send this information to the OCPS board. The Children's Initiative has been in place for several years. As a result, we have increased schools', students', and caregivers' awareness about library materials and services, provided many elementary school students with library cards, contributed to the students' educational success, and increased the Library's visibility in the community. Elementary schools receive current information about library events, materials and services and students get access to the best library resources and services by getting library cards. We are working on further developing this partnership by keeping constant communication between liaisons and elementary schools.
Name of Contact Person: Vera Gubnitskaia 
Title of Contact Person: Youth Services Manager 
School/Library Name: Orange County (FL) Library System 
Mailing Address: 101 East Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801 
Phone: (407) 835-7300 
Email Address: gubnitskaia.vera@ocls.info
URL of Library: http://www.ocls.info
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: Librarians as Community Partners: An Outreach Handbook. Edited by Carol Smallwood. (Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, forthcoming, in production).  

Title of Program: CLASP (Connecting Schools and Libraries Project)
Type of Program: Large, Systemwide Initiatives
Age level: Elementary and secondary (middle school)
Description of Program: CLASP, the Connecting Libraries and Schools Program, is a library-school partnership that links schools serving students in kindergarten through 8th grade and the three New York City public library systems. CLASP expands the long tradition of services for children and young adults offered by Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library and Queens Borough Public Library. The basic program of CLASP services includes: Library cards for all children in public and private schools, class visits in the schools and in the libraries, parent workshops that encourage involvement in student education, teacher workshops and improved channels of communication for educators, family literacy programs to highlight the enjoyment of reading, summer reading booklists and library activities. As a result of new funding, CLASP is now available in all New York community school districts serving all K-8 students. 
Contact Information:
Grace Shanahan
Manager, Connecting Schools and Libraries Project
Department of Youth Services
2065 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11234
718.253.4567
g.shanahan@brooklynpubliclibrary.org

Title of Program: Education Initiative
Type of Program: Large, Systemwide Initiatives
Age level: Elementary and secondary (K-12)
Description of Program: In 2000, the King County Library System in Washington State established the Education Initiative in order to work with school libraries to help students achieve academic success.  An Education Coordinator was hired to establish partnerships with the 18 school districts in the service area and to serve as a liaison between school librarians and youth librarians in the 42 branch libraries. At the center of the Initiative is the personal connection between the school librarian and public youth librarian. Each school is assigned to the closest community library. The Education Initiative supports an annual 2nd grade library card distribution, regular school visits by youth librarians to provide online database demonstrations, give book talks and promote reading incentive and summer
reading programs and other presentations as requested by school staff. Programs for Black History Month, Poetry Month and author presentations held in schools ensure a large audience of students, many of whom become aware of public library resources for the first time.  Schools often can't afford to have these programs and are very enthusiastic about the curricular support. Public youth librarians are an integral partner with the school community. In the library, tutors offer help with homework and special student areas are provided. Organized lists of recommended websites on homework topics and online databases support the curriculum. Live online homework help draws large numbers of students.  An electronic newsletter is sent five times a year to every school librarian in the area to spread the word about new resources and upcoming events.
Contact Information:
Barbara Carmody, Education Services Coordinator
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425-369-3324
bacarmody@kcls.org

Title of Program: Library Co-op
Type of Program: Large, Systemwide Initiatives
Intended Grade Level: Grades 9-12
Description of Program: The public librarian, the librarians from each of the four colleges in town, a representative of the three public high schools in town, and a representative from the town’s Catholic High School meet three times a year to discuss what is being done for our patrons, what new things we are doing or are looking at, how we can help each other and how we can best service patrons from each of our areas.
Contact Information:
Sister Colane Recker
Library Media Specialist
Bishop Heelan Catholic High School
1021 Douglas Street, Sioux City, IA 51105
Phone: (712) 252-0573
Email Address: reckerc@bishopheelan.org
URL of School:  http://doiop.com/hlmc


   

Library Card Campaigns

Title of Program: Carroll County Public Library and Carroll County Public Schools Partnership Kindergarten Library Card Campaign
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns
Age level: Primary
Description of Program: Carroll County Public Library offers all county kindergarten students an opportunity to receive a free library card during a class visit to their branch library to attend an age-appropriate, literature based puppet show. In partnership with Carroll County Public Schools, we are able to reach children and their parents to make them aware of the library in their area, provide access for children through their cards and promote the enjoyment of reading and library services.
Kindergarten teachers schedule a spring visit to their local branch to attend the original puppet show presented by CCPL staff. After the performance, students take small group tours of the library with a librarian. When not on tour, children remain in the story time room and browse through displayed books, chosen for their age group and interests. Teachers and chaperones assist each child by writing a list, which the child takes home, of the books they would like to check out when they return to the library with their parents.
Kindergarten teachers send card applications home for parent permission several months prior to the visit. Library cards are ready for the teachers on the day of their visit, along with a bookmark thanking parents for “giving the gift of reading” to their child and branch information.
Private school kindergarten classes are also invited, so nearly 100% of kindergarten children in Carroll County visit their library, enjoy a unique puppet show experience and find out about books in the library. As a result of this campaign, 80 – 85% of all kindergarten children in Carroll County are library card holders each year.
Contact Information:
Brenda Conaway
Westminster Library
50 East Main Street
Westminster, MD. 21157
410-386-4490 Ext. 729

Title of Program:  Dr. Torres Library Card Challenge
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns
Age Level: Primary
Description of Program: With Gail Borden Public Library’s (GBPL) consistent efforts to connect with its community inside and outside the building, wonderfully dramatic statistics tell the story of a tremendous community center where the upward, ever-increasing spiral of beneficial connections produces combustion for the library and the community as well as national support for literacy.  The Dr. Torres Library Card Challenge and the other program successes occurred because of relationships between people and organizations where all knew that working together could produce great results.

Last fall, Dr. Jose Torres, superintendent of Illinois School District U-46, walked into an elementary classroom. A young smiling boy made eye contact with him. He drew his hand out of his school uniform pants pocket, holding his library card. Dr. Torres smiled back as he showed his own library card. One of the district's youngest students and its highest administrator bonded about the importance of having a library card. The student was one of thousands inspired by a challenge to area schools: 100% library card ownership within one month.

This effort actually started in August of 2008 when the state's second largest school district that serves over 40,000 students welcomed this new superintendent.  A super library supporter, he agreed to be the face of September’s Gail Borden's Library Card Sign-up Campaign. Card registration increased 10% over the previous September.  Everyone agreed that the momentum couldn’t end and the challenge was borne for October with the goal of 100% library card ownership in all U-46 schools. Gail Borden recruited five other public libraries that served U-46 students to join the effort and all stops were pulled out to maximize use of press, media, e-marketing and word-of-mouth buzz.

Press releases sent to the media resulted in stories headlined “Proud to carry a library card” and “Library card comeback.”   Dr. Torres urged principals to encourage teachers and students to participate. Some schools ran their own marketing campaign. Sycamore Trails Elementary School displayed pictures of students holding library cards with the caption “Got Card?” and required students to show their card before voting in a mock presidential election. The school achieved 100% library card sign-up before the end of the month.  School officials all motivated their students to not only get a card, but to use it.

The Dr. Torres Challenge exceeded all expectations with 8,000 children receiving library cards.

The Gail Borden Library District covers over 60 square miles, reaching a diverse multicultural community. By 2030, that population is expected to grow to 170,000. A majority of the 41,000 children in Illinois School District U-46 represent minorities and low-income households. Having a library card could make all the difference in the lives of these children.

Name of Contact Person: Denise Raleigh
Title of Contact Person: Director of Marketing
School/Library Name: Gail Borden Public Library District
Mailing Address: 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120
Phone: (847) 429-5981
Email Address: draleigh@gailborden.info
URL of Library: http://www.gailborden.info
URL of School: http://www.u-46.org
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: The North Suburban Library System awarded Gail Borden Public Library the Marketing Award for the Dr. Torres Challenge ( http://www.librarybeat.org/read/show/402)

Title of Program: Great Library Card Adventure/Get Carded
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns
Age level: Elementary & secondary
Description of Program: The Great Library Card Adventure is a library card campaign for kindergarten classrooms in Multnomah County, presented by the Multnomah County Library School Corps. Although we usually run the campaign kindergarten classrooms, every few years we extend the campaign to all K-5 students. (All K-5 students are able to apply for cards during any Great Library Card Adventure campaign, but during most years, the contest is for the kindergarten classrooms only.) We want every student, faculty and staff member in the county to have a Multnomah County Library card. We send letters to school principals and library staff inviting them to join the campaign, and we send kits with posters, applications, and instructions to those who join. After returning the applications, teachers receive a drink coupon from Starbucks. Students (both those who already had cards and those who get them through the program) receive Great Library Card Adventure stickers. Kindergarten classrooms with 100% of the students signed up for library cards are entered in a drawing to win one of three collections of age-appropriate fiction and non-fiction books for their classroom. Classes with 100% of students signed up that do not win a book collection will receive a gift certificate to a local bookstore. URL: http://www.multcolib.org/schoolcorps/glca.html
Get Carded! is a library card campaign for middle and high schools students. We have done this campaign twice since 1997. We send letters to school principals and library staff inviting them to join the campaign, and we send kits with posters, applications, and instructions to those who join. School return tally sheets to us with the numbers of students who already had cards, and the applications of those who are applying. All students and teachers who participate in the program (whether they already had cards or applied them) received a card with discount offers from local businesses.
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Team Leader
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: Library Card Campaign
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: For the past eight years the Public Library has coordinated a library card registration program with the Hillsborough County school system and interested private schools. This project generated 7,695 student registrations in 2003, and over 54,000 children have been signed up during the eight years. The Library features high profile sports figures in a public service announcement (psa) that encourages children to register; the psa is played in the schools during the campaign.
Contact Information:
Priscilla Lakus, Tampa Hillsborough County Public Library System
900 N. Ashley Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33602
(813) 273-3648
Lakusp@hillsboroughcounty.org

Title of Program: PowerCard Committee
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns, Summer Reading Programs
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: The Schools and Public Libraries in Palm Beach County, Florida have a partnership called the PowerCard Committee. It is 6 years old.
The PowerCard mission is to encourage children and their families to develop a love of reading, learning and libraries. Because of the work of this group, all students in Palm Beach County Schools can get free library cards at their choice of 15 county and 7 city libraries. This provides students access to combined library collections of approximately 2 million items to help with their school assignments.
PowerCard sponsors an annual library card campaign in September through contests in the schools and public libraries with incentives provided by local businesses. We've even been able to make sure that a library card is included on the school supply list. Right now we're working on our yearly Summer Reading Program promotion. Students will view in their classrooms a video created by the committee advertising Read Across Florida (our Summer theme). Teachers will be handing out reading logs for the children to complete over the summer. These were also created by the PowerCard committee and the libraries will use the same one. So there is one unified program for both the libraries and the school system.
Why is PowerCard Important? It's building new bridges of cooperation in the community to support literacy and ultimately to see our students succeed in school. Palm Beach County libraries and school district have developed partnerships with the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition; Children's Service Council and other local agencies.
Contact Information:
Wendy Rosenfeld
Youth Services Coordinator
Palm Beach County Library System
3650 Summit Blvd.
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406-4198
Tel. 561-233-2745
FAX 561-233-2627


   

Library Cards for Educators/Schools

Title of Program: Educator Library Cards
Type of Program: Library Cards for Educators/Schools
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: Multnomah County Library is committed to working with schools and educators. Library items used for educational purposes may be needed for longer than the standard three-week loan period. Educator cards allow users to check out and renew items for six weeks and to have up to 40 unfilled holds at one time. The educator card is separate from the educator's personal library card. Educator cards are to be used only for materials for curriculum support or classroom use. (Educators must use their personal library cards for all library materials checked out for personal use.) To qualify for an educator card, an educator must live in Multnomah County Library's free service area or have a current fee registration and teach children in childcare, kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) or homeschool education. To register for an educator library card, educators visit a library location in person and show valid identification and proof of educator status (such as a school ID badge or paycheck stub). URL: www.multcolib.org/schoolcorps/edcard.html
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Team Leader
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: School Cards
Type of Program: Library Cards for Educators/Schools
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: In response to requests from teachers, the library department worked with school administration to set up special library cards for schools. The cards, which are kept at the public library and managed by library staff, allow the school librarian to make sure the school's collection is used first and then to supplement it from the public library's broader resources. Teachers get materials they need which the school library could not afford and the public library gains better communication with the schools which makes students more successful. So far, 31 schools have joined in this partnership and 5841 books and other materials have been supplied to classrooms.
Contact Information:
Carolyn Caywood, MSLS
Bayside Library & Special Services
936 Independence Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
757-460-7518, fax 757-464-6741
ccaywood@vbgov.com


   

Public Library Visits to Schools

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: 9th grade
Description of Program: Ninth graders in the Lewisburg Area School District have library class once a week. Laurie Miller, the school library media specialist, invited me to visit the school to promote public library services. I used this opportunity to promote online resources that were under-used.

The first visit, I demonstrated Bloom's Literary Reference Online and several "Power Library" databases supplied by the PA Commonwealth Library, including AP Images, Student Resource Center, EBSCO Health Source and Brodart's Dartclix (a database of Web sites).

The second visit, I demonstrated Novelist and booktalked several titles from each library's collection. The third visit, I demonstrated Grove's Art and had some "hoax" photographs for the students to determine which were fake and which were real.

At the end of the school year, I plan to return to promote the summer reading program. We have also gotten permission to send flyers home with the students about the program. (A first.)

We also have a copy of all of the textbooks being used throughout the school district in our reference collection. Students who have forgotten a book can come to the library to use it. Some students regularly copy the pages for their assignments so they don't have to carry their books. Home school parents use them as well.

The benefits: Laurie and I are developing a great working relationship. I recognize students who come into the library and they recognize me. The teachers are more aware of the public library's resources. The use of our online resources has increased dramatically. As a result, our board established a separate line item for databases and authorized us to purchase World Book Online.

The idea of collaborating with the schools can be overwhelming. Starting with simple, focused programs will get both parties involved and who knows where it will grow from there. Laurie and I are talking about a one book one school program in the future.

Overdrive Audio books have been added to our collection.  I visit the high schools to demonstrate how to use the program and download audio books to MP3 players or iPods.  I also give a presentation to low readers about the various types of library materials that may be of interest to them such as audio books, DVDs, magazines, online resources and books, DK publications, high-interest non-fiction, graphic novels, etc.

At the end of the school year, I visit the schools to promote summer reading activities.  Over the summer, students can earn extra credit by participating in approved school or community activities.  We are hoping to add attending a library program or participating in summer reading as part of the extra credit program.
Contact Information:
Linda L. Homa, Reference Librarian
Public Library of Union County
255 Reitz Blvd.
Lewisburg, PA 17837
570-523-1172
reference@publibuc.org

Title of Program:  BLAST School Outreach (Bringing Libraries and Schools Together)
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Primary
Description of Program: BLAST is a school outreach program of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The program started in the spring of 2002 and has adapted to meet the changing needs of the Pittsburgh Public Schools and aligns best practices in reading instruction with interactive read-alouds. BLAST consists of three programs: a third grade interactive read aloud, thematic programs for grades K-5, and summer extended year programs (4 weeks of summer school for grades K-5).

BLAST has received financial support from  a number of foundations in the Pittsburgh area, and is currently supported by the library, EITC funding ( Educational Improvement Tax Credit funds), and the Pittsburgh Public Schools. For the first five years of the program, BLAST was evaluated by Dr. Rita Bean at the University of Pittsburgh.  The programs goals are to: enhance the reading attitudes and abilities of third grade students, provide equitable access to public library resources and materials, and increase the visibility of Carnegie Library in the elementary schools.  The success of the third grade program led one of the foundations to seek expansion of the program into a rural community library.  After two successful years the rural library was able to seek local funding to continue the program.

Name of Contact Person: Georgene DeFilippo
Title of Contact Person: Youth Services Coordinator
School/Library Name: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Mailing Address: 4400 Forbes Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 622-8821
Email Address: defilippog@carnegielibrary.org
URL of Library: http://carnegielibrary.org

Title of Program: Linn Library League Summer Reading Program
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists, Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: Linn Library League is a volunteer group of Linn County residents who want to bring high-quality, publicly funded library service to everyone in Linn County. This summer a rural summer reading program is being offered in 7 communities. Five programs will be offered in school libraries--four are public schools and one is a charter school. The funding for our program comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library.
Contact Information:
May Garland
(503) 394-3696
garlandm@smt-net.com
Linda Ziedrich
(503) 394-3643
ziedrich@smt-net.com

Title of Program: School Corps
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: The Multnomah County Library School Corps connects students and educators with the critical information resources of the public library, providing trainings on using the libraries electronic resources (catalog, websites, databases) and presentations about reading/literacy. URL: www.multcolib.org/schoolcorps/
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Team Leader
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: SWIFT (Student Web Instruction for Teachers)
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Secondary
Description of Program: SWIFT is a partnership between Hennepin County Library and area secondary schools dedicated to improving online research skills among students and teachers. Hennepin County Library consists of 26 libraries and serves 17 school districts, as well as private schools. Through classroom visits and staff development workshops, SWIFT works to teach students and teachers to use Hennepin County Library's online resources,
such as TeenLinks, to access databases, selected Web sites, and the library catalog. SWIFT also works to promote information literacy by teaching students and teachers how to effectively locate and evaluate internet sources on a specific topic. Our Web site is www.hclib.org/ToolboxForTeachers.
Contact Information:
Cyndi Webster
Eden Prairie Youth Services Librarian & SWIFT Project Manager for Hennepin County Libraries
(Student Web Instruction for Teachers)
565 Prairie Center Dr.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Phone: (952)847-5376
Voice Mail: (952)847-5386
Fax: (952)847-5377

Title of Program: Various
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Elementary & secondary
Description of Program: We have programs that we do in the schools to enhance curriculum. They are detailed in our Access Brochure that you can find on our website at www.mrcpl.org under "Teacher Programs". This is part of our regular service and is done by children's services and branch staff.
Contact Information:
Deborah L. Dubois
Children's Outreach Librarian
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
ddubois@mrcpl.org

Title of Program: Welcome to Our Neighborhood with Mr. McFeely!
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: PreK and K
Description of Program: In conjunction with what would have been the 80th birthday of Mister Rogers, The New Castle Public Library contacted Family Communications to plan activities for Mister Rogers' birthday which would include a sweater drive. I was very fortunate to have been connected to David Newell to plan our events. Mr. Newell turned out to be Mr. McFeely. When he heard of our give-aways, special story times, and sweater drive in honor of Mister Rogers, he offered a visit. We set the date of his visit during National Library Week.

Contact was made with the New Castle Transit Authority to arrange for their trolley to come to the library that day to provide trolley rides to children and parents attending the program. When contacted, local downtown businessman Tom George provided free parking to all who attended the program and Eat 'n Park Restaurant provided us with their famous "smile" coookies to give to the children.

During the three week period for the sweater drive, we received sweaters not only from individuals but also from local churches, and one of our biggest contributors proved to be the employees at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company who contributed over 200 sweaters to our drive.

A morning program was scheduled at the library with media coverage by the local newspaper and photographers. Representatives from the Lawrence County Crisis Center were on hand for the presentation by Mr. McFeely of over 30 boxes - 427 sweaters - collected.

We also contacted the Pre-K coordinator, Sandy Graham, and did another program for the Pre-K classes in the New Castle Area School District. Once again, we provided story times on the trolley and a short trolley ride for over 130 children.

During all of our story times that day, children received a free book, a personalized autographed picture of Mr. McFeely, and the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with him. We also provided chalk drawing outside and Mister Rogers coloring pages inside for the children as they waited to talk to Mr. McFeely or ride the trolley.

The program was extremely successful and well-received, not only by the children but also by parents. Our visit to the school was also appreciated; the administration expressed their gratitude several times regarding our continuing efforts to include them in special library events, and tentative plans have already been made to promote more of the library programs in the schools.

What started out as a story time and sweater drive resulted in a cooperative effort among our library, private business, and the City of New Castle to provide a memorable day for our community and also to be a good neighbor to the clients of the local women's shelter. In fact, that's what our program was called: "Welcome to the Neighborhood."
Contact Information:
Susan Morgan
New Castle Public Library
207 E. North St.
New Castle, PA 16101
724-658-6659, x107
smorgan@ncdlc.org

Title of Program: Youth Outreach / Words on Wheels  (WOW)
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: Safekey Afterschool Visits -- Twice a week throughout the school year Library Outreach Staff visit a different Safekey Afterschool program for a thirty minute visit to share stories, booktalks, and information about the public library and upcoming library programs.
Contact Information:
Mary Nelson Brown
Youth Services Coordinator
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 507-3596
brownm at lvccld.org

Title of Program: Youth Outreach / Words on Wheels  (WOW)
Type of Program: Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: Outreach staff is available to share information about the library, reading and information literacy with students in all grades. Some of the programs we offer include:

- Website Introduction: we teach students to navigate the Library District website focusing on homework help, online tutors and tests, ordering library materials, emedia, and getting a library card.

- Nevada Reading Week Classroom Visits: Let us visit your Elementary classroom and share stories, information about the library, and the joy of reading when you celebrate Nevada Reading Week.

- Summer Reading Assemblies or Classroom visits: Reading during summer break helps kids keep their skills fresh. Let us get kids fired up about reading all summer long as we explain the Library District’s Summer Reading Program.

- Third Grade Wallet Visits: we can visit your 3rd grade classroom to share stories, booktalks and information about the public library.  Third grade students receive the state Library Card Wallet with a special greeting from the Governor and encouragement to sign up for their own library card.

- We are also available for: Family Nights, Literacy Events, Career Days, College Fairs and other school events we can staff an information table or create a custom presentation to fit your needs.
Contact Information:
Mary Nelson Brown
Youth Services Coordinator
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 507-3596
brownm at lvccld.org
 


   

Publicity (including newsletters)

Title of Program: Discover@PWPLS: An E-Mail Newsletter for Educators
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: Discover@PWPLS is an e-mail newsletter designed especially for educators! Discover is designed to be a brief overview of changes or additions to the web based resources and services offered by the public library system. Three times a year, you will receive a 1 to 2 page update, delivered directly to your e-mail address! Discover is free! You can subscribe or unsubscribe at any time! Sample copy: Prince William County Newsletter (PDF)
Contact Information:
Prince William Public Library System
http://www.pwcgov.org/library

Title of Program: E-Resource News
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Elementary & secondary, adult
Description of Program: A newsletter with resources for teacher-librarians, teachers and students. Sample copy: DeKalb County Newsletter
Contact Information:
DeKalb County Public Library
www.dekalblibrary.org

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Elementary & secondary
Description of Program: The Youth Services Librarian works cooperatively with school Media Specialists, school newsletter editors, and Administration Offices to publicize Woodburn Public Library programs and events for students and families.  Each month, the public schools receive the updated Youth Services Schedule to share with their students and families. Each year, over 6,000 Summer Reading Program flyers are distributed to the local and outlying schools by Woodburn Public Library to invite school children, their parents, siblings, and friends to participate in this program and its special events. School Media Specialists and teachers help spread the news as well as the local newspaper, posters, sign boards, and more in an effort to reach out to children of all ages to have fun, grow, and develop new interests at the public library!
Contact Information:
Beverly Phillips
Woodburn Public Library
280 Garfield St.
Woodburn, OR 97071
beverly.phillips@ci.woodburn.or.us

Title of Program: School Corps Quarterly
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: This newsletter is a tool designed to assist educators in integrating public library resources with their curricula. School Corps Quarterly articles describe public library services and/or events that are relevant to educators countywide, at all grade levels. Articles give concrete examples of how teachers and media specialists at elementary, middle, and high school levels can use the service and/or what benefits they and their students would derive from attending the event. Each issue also includes a booktalk. URL: http://www.multcolib.org/scq/
Contact Information:
Jackie Partch
School Corps Team Leader
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell, Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6004
jacquelp@multcolib.org

Title of Program: Side x Side: Public Library/School Library Collaboration: Easier Than You Think
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: A newsletter with collaboration ideas for both school and public librarians. Sample copy: Mid-Hudson Newsletter (PDF)
Contact Information:
Rebecca Gerald, Coordinator
School Library System
Ulster BOCES
rgerald@mhric.org
Margaret Keefe
Coordinator, Youth Services
Mid-Hudson Library System
mkeefe@midhudson.org

Title of Program: Teacher Connection: A Newsletter from the Youth Services Department of the Lake Villa District Library
Type of Program: Publicity (including newsletters)
Age level: Elementary & secondary
Description of Program: Published once a quarter, Teacher Connection is full of information on how the Library can help you and your students. You'll find: Information on upcoming Library programs and initiatives; a regular column by Kerry Reed, Head of Youth Services; updates on teacher services such as Classroom Connection bags; and other useful information about Library resources.
Contact Information:
Elisa Gueffie
847-356-7711, ext. 242


   

School Visits to the Public Library

Date: 06/17/09
Title of Program:  Annual Program of Class Visits
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Libraries
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grade 2 and Grade 6
Description of Program: For over 25 years, the Stratford Library Association has conducted scheduled class visits for every public and parochial school in town.  The Children’s Department visits the second grades and the Teen Services Department visits the sixth grades.  These visits are included in the town, library, and school budgets and are mandated in the school curriculum. 
Name of Contact Person: Martha Simpson
Title of Contact Person: Head of Children’s Services
School/Library Name: Stratford Library Association
Mailing Address: 2203 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06615
Phone: (203) 385-4165
Email Address: martha@stratfordlibrary.org URL of Library: http://www.stratfordlibrary.org
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership:
Simpson, Martha & Lucretia Duwel. Bringing Classes Into the Public Library, McFarlad & Company, 2007. ISBN 97807864280699.

Title of Program: Cooperative Summer Reading Program
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists, School Visits to the Public Library
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: Newport Public Library and Yaquina View Elementary School in Newport, Oregon, have been running a cooperative Summer Reading program for three years. The Title I (Reading Recovery) program at Yaquina View School has used USDE grant monies to pay for teaching staff. This is how the program works:
The library's summer reading program meets once a week on Wednesday afternoons. The school program meets at the same time in the library with the students attending the program. Both before and after the program the teaching staff meets with students for one-on-one and small group reading instruction. About 40 children participate in the school program and another 100+ participate in the library program.
This cooperative program has introduced the library to many families who would not otherwise be using it in the summer (or any other time). The students participate in the reading rewards part of the library program as well and, for many of them, it is the first opportunity to recieve the same recognition that the "normal reader" kids get.
The school staff have been tracking the testing results of their students and statistics show students involved in the summer reading program actually gain skills over the summer.
Both library and school staff are very happy with this program and hope to continue it indefinitely.
Contact Information:
Rebecca Cohen
Newport Public Library
Newport, Oregon
storyweaver@newportlibrary.org

Date: 06/15/09
Title of Program:  Kindergartners at Home in the Library
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Libraries
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Preschool
Description of Program: Each year the Kindergarten/Preschool classes from the public school display artwork in the public library’s windows.  These are changed monthly.  Both the community and students enjoy these displays. In December, the library hosts a “Five Senses of Christmas” program in which kindergartners visit the public library, make a book about the five senses for the window displays, and are given a hardcover book to keep.  At the end of the year, students are thanked for their efforts with an invitation to participate in a pizza party.  At the pizza party, the public librarians share stories and promote the summer reading program by passing out and discussing marketing materials. Having students in the public library at an early age gets them comfortable with the library staff and the space, and it opens the door for students to become lifelong library users.
Name of Contact Person: Cheryl Beesinger
Title of Contact Person: Director
School/Library Name: Archer Public Library
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1574, Archer City, TX 76351
Phone: (940) 574-4954
Email Address: apl@wf.net

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Library, Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: Elementary (Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade)
Description of Program: We have a successful program with our elementary schools that has been running for three years. On Thursday morning of each week the school buses a different 1st grade class to the library. We have volunters come and read to the children and then they are allowed to check out books that will be due the next time they come back (usually about a 1 month time period). On Friday morning they bus the 2nd grade students for the same program. We follow their character traits theme for the month. One Thursday a month one of the staff goes to the Kindergarten classes and reads to the students. This program insures that every 1st and 2nd grade student has a library card. There is no cost to the library as we already have our staff and the school buses the children. Organizations donate funds each year to purchase new books for the 1st and 2nd graders.
Contact Information:
Carol Brentlinger
Palmyra Bicentennial Public Library
573-769-2830
pbpl@nemonet.com

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Library
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: We have an excellent program for loaning materials to schools and working together on joint projects. This year we had an exhibit in our children's room from Stony Brook University, featuring the plants and animals of Long Island. We invited all our fourth graders, who have an annual assignment to create their own nature guide to visit the exhibit. The culmination of the project was to invite the fourth graders to the library for a visit with author/illustrator Jim Arnosky, who is the author of many nature books. I frequently touch base with the curriculum coordinators and teachers to see if we can create programs tailored to their needs. We invited the fifth graders to the library to demonstrate our new Virtual Reference biography sources when they were beginning a biography assignment.
Contact Information:
Doris Gebel
Head of Youth Services
Northport-East Northport Public Library
dgebel@suffolk.lib.ny.us

Title of Program: Oakland Elementary Night at the Public Library
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Library
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: One type of program that has worked well for me is "Oakland Elementary Night at the Public Library" or "Green Elementary Night at the Public Library". I have done this with two public schools after getting to know the school librarian. As the public librarian, I give a bilingual orientation and tour to my library and then a storytime together with the school librarian. I usually provide snacks and we encourage and expect families to sign their youngsters up for library cards.
The challenging part is the building of a relationship with the school librarian. Turnover is great in public schools in Fort Worth. It has taken me almost three years to build a relationship with these two schools because of it and even after having successful programs the next year is unpredictable if there is a new administrator who does not place a high priority on this type of partnership (many administrators have tunnel vision solely focused on testing, testing, testing!)
Contact Information:
Desiree Fairooz
Youth Librarian
East Berry Branch Library
Fort Worth Public Library

Date: 06/19/09
Title of Program: Port Clinton School Visits
Type of Program: School Visits to the Public Libraries
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 1-8
Description of Program: In Port Clinton, there are three schools within walking distance of the public library: a middle school (6-8), an elementary school (3-5), and a Catholic school (K-6).  Each class visits the library every month to check out materials.  Some classes visit twice a month.  The library opens early if necessary for the class visits.  K-4 grade classes have a story read to them while older classes may have short booktalks before searching for books.  All students are taught how to use the public library.  Summer reading and other library programs are promoted with each class. 

The public librarians also visit two other elementary schools (one is K-2, and the other is K-4).  Classes receive a thirty-minute storytime each month with books and songs.  The public library also has the opportunity to promote library programs (including summer reading).

The relationship with area schools in the elementary and middle grades have been great, and the library is working to expand the program to area high schools in the future.
Name of Contact Person: Jennifer Buch
Title of Contact Person: Youth Services Supervisor
School/Library Name: Port Clinton City Schools & Danbury School/Ida Rupp Public Library
Mailing Address: 310 Madison Street, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Phone: (419) 732-3212
Email Address: buchje@oplin.org
URL of Library: http://www.idarupp.org


   

Special Events

Title of Program: Battle of the Books
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary (4th grade)
Description of Program: A public school contest for Fourth Grade students in which students compete by answering questions about the author, characters, plot, setting, etc. of selected books. Public Library Youth Specialists serve as judges during local and regional matches
Contact Information:
Priscilla Lakus, Tampa –Hillsborough County Public Library System
900 N. Ashley Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33602
(813) 273-3648
Lakusp@hillsboroughcounty.org

Title of Program: Books and Brunch
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: We have a program each fall for school librarians and teachers called "Books and Brunch". We highlight library services and materials that will help teachers in the classroom and school librarians. We have brought in an author to speak on her books and how to use them in the classroom. We also give practical information about booktalking, displays, database instruction and other information teachers can use. We have arranged with some of the schools for librarians and teachers to get inservice credit for attending this program. The library funds this program.
Contact Information:
Deborah L. Dubois
Children's Outreach Librarian
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
deborah_dubois@freenet.richland.oh.us

Title of Program: Books and Brushes
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: We had one special program to get out young adult reading section painted. It was called Books and Brushes. The students had to read three books from the library and then they painted an example of the book on the mural to be placed in the library. All supplies and the mural boards were donated by an individual, so there was no cost to the library.
Contact Information:
Carol Brentlinger
Palmyra Bicentennial Public Library
573-769-2830
pbpl@nemonet.com

Title of Program: Books to Treasure
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Second grade
Description of Program: "Books to Treasure" is the Tulsa City-County Library's annual celebration of National Children's Book Week.  The event encourages families to read aloud, and promotes the beauty of children's book illustration.  An illustrator is invited to Tulsa to visit second graders at a private school, a Tulsa Public School, and an outlying school district's school.  An evening talk and book signing is held at a public library.
During the fall, a second grade library card signup is conducted.  Those who apply get a library card illustrated by the guest illustrator. In September, teacher workshops are held to showcase the Books to Treasure web site which has an illustrator biography, related web sites, and lesson plans written by public and school librarians.  Examples of the lessons are presented at the workshops.  Refreshments and door prizes are provided.
Each second grader in Tulsa County receives a paperback book illustrated by our guest, an effort to create lifelong readers if they aren't already.
Our maintenance crew delivers books, posters, bookmarks & bookplates to the large school districts and the elementary schools in small districts.  Our children's librarians deliver materials to the private schools.
The whole program is funded by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation.  Anne Zarrow was a teacher and the Zarrow family is a huge supporter of schools and libraries.

Contact Information:
Lana Voss, Children's Department Manager
Tulsa City-County Library
Central Library
400 Civic Center
Tulsa, OK 74103
918-596-7973
lvoss@tulsalibrary.org

Date: 06/17/09
Title of Program:  Booksicals—Encouraging the Love of Reading Through the Arts
Type of Program: Special Events
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Preschool-Grade 2
Description of Program: Booksicals on stage literacy program ( http://www.booksicals.com) and the Robertson Branch Los Angeles Public Library put on an afterschool musical performance of the picture book Too Many Visitors for One Little House (by Susan Chodakiewitz, illustrations by Veronica Walsh) for pre-school through second grade school students on June 2, 2009.

Booksicals brought the Booksicals Repertory Company to perform the new picture book with author and illustrator participation.  The students got to interact with the author and experience a live musical performance of the book by the Booksicals Repertory Company.  After the show they greeted the characters and asked questions.  Students also had an opportunity to purchase the book and get it signed by either author or character.

Emails and information about the program were sent to the local public and private schools in the area.  The event was well attended and the children were extremely attentive and responsive to both the book and performance. Afterwards, parents sent emails praising the event and describing children who repeatedly asked for the books to be read to them at home.

This was a literacy-promoting event. Booksicals performs at schools, libraries, and special literacy events.
Name of Contact Person: Carol Duan
Title of Contact Person: Librarian
School/Library Name: Robertson Library
Mailing Address: 1719 South Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: (310) 840-2147

Title of Program: Breakfast with School Librarians
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: We invited all the school librarians and the teachers we know best from our 14 partner schools to stop in at Bayside between 8:30 and 9:30 this morning for coffee & a library orientation. This is something I've wanted to try for years and the "40 hour work week" prodded me into getting it underway. I'm writing to let you know how it went.
We had representation from 3 schools - a teacher from one elementary, 2 librarians from another, and the secretary from a middle school. We also had many librarians call to explain that they couldn't get away to come - the principals had called meetings. (The secretary was sent by the librarian in her place.)
I am naturally disappointed in the turnout, but the 4 who came gave us an opportunity for personal contact. The 2 school librarians didn't arrive till 9:30, but they had a particular problem with their library being renovated and their teachers being irresponsible, so we talked till 10. Additionally, those who called at least know we want to be supportive. So, it was worth doing, though another time we'll try something different.
We had refreshments, an assortment of our handouts, an assortment of weeded posters, and tours for our guests. But, mostly, it was the personal contact and affirmation that mattered.
Contact Information:
Carolyn Caywood, MSLS
Bayside Library & Special Services
936 Independence Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
757-460-7518
fax757-464-6741
http://VBgov.com/libraries ccaywood@vbgov.com

Title of Program: Bristlecone Storytelling Festival
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary & Middle School (4th-6th)
Description of Program: The Clark County School District storytelling festival is an exciting, voluntary program offered to fourth through sixth grade students in all elementary and middle schools. The students are taught storytelling skills that support the district English Language Arts/Reading curriculum. The Bristlecone Storytelling Festival Teacher's Guide is a tool for librarians and teachers to use as they lead their students through the steps of the storytelling process. The teacher's guide includes student activities, structure, strategies, and tips to enhance learning and to ensure a successful storytelling experience for all. Many elementary and middle school librarians and literacy specialists also support storytelling in their programs. Teachers schedule individual classroom festivals that provide their students the opportunity to practice the storytelling craft for an audience. Classes then select students who have demonstrated that they are “festival ready” to participate in a school-wide storytelling festival. Students who participate in the school's storytelling festival then select two school representatives who will perform at a Region Storytelling Festival.
Contact Information:
Mary Nelson Brown
Youth Services Coordinator
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 507-3596
brownm at lvccld.org

Title of Program: The Center for the Book Letters about Literature
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: 6th grade
Description of Program: Since 2002, F D Campbell Memorial Library and The sixth grade teachers at Mohawk Elementary School have partnered using The Center for the Book Letters About Literature program.  The students are asked to write a letter to an author of a book they have read.  The author can be living or dead.  The letter doesn't get sent to the author.  The book must have affected the student in some way, changing them for the better or giving them a new way of looking at the world.  Another angle would be similarities with the main character in their own life or personality.  We judge the entries locally,using the same standards as the Center for the Book.  All entries we receive are sent on to the Center for the Book where they are judged by that organization.  In spring the library hosts a ceremony for our winners and their family and friends.  We give the winners a Barnes and Noble gift card.  Their letter also is miniaturized and placed in the front pages of the book they chose, so that anyone who reads the book learns of their accomplishment.  For our contest, we limit the author to a writer of a book.  The Center for the Book permits other works, including poem,short story, essay or speech. 

This year marks the sixth year that we have partnered with the students and teachers.  The English teachers and I feel it is a very successful program.  F D Campbell Memorial Library pays for the postage and the ceremony.  It is a very simple and cost effective program and could be replicated easily anywhere.
Contact Information:
Jean Workman, library director
F D Campbell Memorial Library
P O Box 666
Bessemer, PA 16112
724-667-7939
read_books@hotmail.com

Title of Program: Children's Author Lecture
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary & Secondary (middle school)
Description of Program: Children's Author Lecture is a joint program organized and funded by the Multnomah County Library, The Library Foundation and Riverdale Grade School. This annual event, begun in 1998, explores the exciting and diverse world of books for children from the viewpoint of the books' creators. Past guests include Jack Gantos, Christopher Paul Curtis, Sharon Creech, and Katherine Paterson. As part of the program, needy schools can apply to participate in the school exchange program. Students in the exchange receive complimentary tickets to the lecture, transportation, an autographed book by the author, and will meet with a class from Riverdale Grade School to discuss the author's writing. URL: http://www.multcolib.org/kids/lecture/
Contact Information:
Katie O'Dell
Reading Promotions Coordinator
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell
Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6002
kodell@multcolib.org

Title of Program: Curriculum and Staff Support
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: Multnomah County Library’s School Corps program provided invaluable support to students and staff in our public elementary school and high school.  Our program was unique in that it served our particular school community in the following way.  As school librarian, I surveyed my staff prior to summer vacation, learning what curricula they would be teaching the following year as well as particular areas of interest to teachers and students.  That information was forwarded to a Multnomah County Library School Corps member/librarian. The School Corps member and I met with staff, individually or in teaching teams early in September to learn about curricula needs and opportunities for collaborative programs between the school and the library throughout the school year.  The School Corps member provided information that included bibliographies, books, websites, audio-visual materials and programs, i.e. Feasting on Forbidden Fruit, Summer Reading Program, Pathfinders, searching strategies, using the library’s catalog and databases. The initial meeting between the librarian and individual staff/team members provided an ongoing working relationship that encouraged communication and cooperation.  In turn, I signed up most students for library cards at the beginning of the year, and for participation in the summer reading program at the end of the year.  Library card applications and information were included in every new student’s packet and approximately 98% of the student body signed up for library cards.  Most of the students participated in the summer reading program.  Positive outcomes for the school, the school community and library included:  increased knowledge and understanding of public library programs by the school and community, and understanding the school community and curricula needs by the public library.  These programs increased use and support of the library by our students and their families as well as understanding and supporting the library’s mission, programs and funding measures.
Contact Information:
Marian Creamer, President and retired school librarian
Children's Literature Alive!
11657 S.W. Breyman Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97219

Date: 07-17-09 
Title of Program:  Joint MSLA/MLA Legislation Day at the State House 
Type of Program: Special Events
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Preschool - Grade 12
Description of Program: Members of the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) and the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) have held two successfully lobbying days at the State House in Boston.
 
Name of Contact Person: Kathy Lowe 
Title of Contact Person: Executive Director 
School/Library Name: Massachusetts School Library Association 
Mailing Address: PO Box 658, Lunenburg, MA 01462 
Phone: (978) 582-6967 
Email Address: klowe@maschoollibraries.org  
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: http://maschoolibraries.org/content/view/644/320/

Title of Program: Looking to Learn
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary & middle school
Description of Program: The Williamsburg Regional Library was awarded the 2004 Gale/School Library Journal Giant Step Award for an innovative program called Looking to Learn. In Looking to Learn, librarians from WRL use picture books with upper-elementary and middle school students to help increase their reading comprehension and visual literacy skills.
Contact Information:
Noreen Bernstein
Youth Services Director
Williamsburg Regional Library
7770 Croaker Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
757-259-4054
Fax 757 259-4079
www.wrl.org
nbernste@mail.wrl.org

Title of Program: Middle School Survival Program
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Secondary (middle school)
Description of Program: The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big step for students and parents. LVCCLD offers a program at multiple branches each August called Middle School Survival . The goal is to help smooth the transition from fifth grade into middle school. Speakers from local schools are invited to present information on topics such as: “What to expect in sixth grade” and “Being Organized.”  Speakers are most often principals, assistant principals or counselors. Q and A with the guests is an important part of the program and often makes up the bulk of the hour as parents have as many questions as students. Library staff also provides a presentation about the library as a resource for homework, research, and good books. We give a website overview and a tour of several databases, and encourage students to get their own library cards. We also offer study and organizational tips. Packets of information are provided for each student/parent. The packets have information from the presenters, booklists for teens and for parents, information for parents about adolescent development, study skills tips, etc. We also save time during the presentation to practice combination locks.
Contact Information:
Mary Nelson Brown
Youth Services Coordinator
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 507-3596
brownm@lvccld.org

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Head Start/Kindergarten
Description of Program: This year we have formed a very interesting partnership with one elementary school, Head Start, and Human Services in the City of Williamsburg. The goal is to promote both reading readiness and going to school readiness for the Head Start students. It includes library staff doing a visual literacy program in both the kindergarten and Head Start classrooms, family literacy programs with the parents of the these children, and a week long kinder-camp for the Head Start graduates before school starts, with a field trip to the library, plus a parent resource center that circulates some items for parents through the library. The funding is shared by the library, school and Human Services. The library also will bring an author/illustrator to both the school and Head Start.
Contact Information:
Noreen Bernstein
Youth Services Director
Williamsburg Regional Library
7770 Croaker Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
757-259-4054
Fax 757 259-4079
www.wrl.org
nbernste@mail.wrl.org

Title of Program: The Night of the Arts
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: We give out art awards on The Night of the Arts. We give out awards for each grade from Kindergarten to 12th grade and the pictures that have won the awards are displayed in the library during the summer. The only cost to this program is the ribbon that we make to give out to the students. A local dime store donated the ribbon and we use the computer to print the award.
Contact Information:
Carol Brentlinger
Palmyra Bicentennial Public Library
573-769-2830
pbpl@nemonet.com

Title of Program: Partners in Education
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Middle school
Description of Program: Goal: To improve educational opportunities by increasing access to research and other educational materials.
The Partner will: Permit use of field guides to identify science collections, provide instruction in the use of the computerized catalog of the public library, provide display space for student work in the library, furnish materials from Federal and State agencies, display posters to encourage student reading, and engage in a special lending agreement through the school librarian.
The School will: Provide student art work for display in the Bayside Library, make library aware of upcoming subject areas to be studied in the classroom, offer performances (band, chorus, orchestra, theater, etc.) at the library that would be open to the public.
Contact Information:
Carolyn Caywood, MSLS
Bayside Library & Special Services
936 Independence Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
757-460-7518
fax757-464-6741
ccaywood@vbgov.com

Title of Program: Performer's Showcase
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: Every two years, Salem Public Library of Polk, Yamhill, and Marion counties, presents a Performer's Showcase. Invitations to attend and evaluate each of these performers for library and school performances is sent out to Youth Services Librarians, School Media Specialists, programmers, and teachers.
Contact Information:
Beverly Phillips
Woodburn Public Library
280 Garfield St.
Woodburn, OR 97071
beverly.phillips@ci.woodburn.or.us

Title of Program: Professional Development Partnership
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Adult
Description of Program: Library Connections, a grant-funded program working with schools in the Archdiocese of New York actively collaborates with New York Public Library to promote the use of the public library to faculty and students in the 32 schools in the program.  (We also promote the public library to other schools throughout the diocese. We ensure that our professional development program takes advantage of public library resources and personnel.)
Examples include:
We held 2 programs at our 2004 Library Connections Summer Institute on Children's and YA book Talks, given by New York Public Library staff members.
We arranged to hold 3 workshops during the 2004-2005 school year on book selection at the major children's collection in each borough.  Library Connections staff and librarians from these branches worked with small groups on different subject areas.  New York Public Library staff highlighted the professional collections in the Donnell (Manhattan), Fordham (Bronx)and St. George (Staten Island)branches.  Faculty members (librarians, classroom teachers, computer teachers, and administrators were at each workshop.  They were also able to get library cards during the programs.
Using our Intranet Portal (for Library Connections schools) and e-mails to all Catholic school principals in the New York Public Library service area, we publicize the monthly CLASP (Connecting Libraries and Schools Project) teacher programs given at Donnell.
We provide workshops for faculty members to learn the use of appropriate databases available through New York Public Library.
We encourage all Library Connections schools to make contact with their branches to arrange for students to get library cards, schedule class visits to the local library branches and invite the public librarians to make visits to the school.
Contact Information:
Melinda Greenblatt
Library Connections,Archdiocese of New York
1011 First Ave., 14th Fl.
New York, NY 10022
212-371-1011, ext. 3367
melinda.greenblatt@archny.org

Title of Program:  Reading Odyssey
Type of Program: Special Events
Intended Grade Level: Primary
Description of Program: The Montgomery County Memorial Library System, in conjunction with the independent school districts and private schools in Montgomery County, Texas, has partnered to provide special literacy-focused events throughout the community at various times during the year.

This November will mark the 14th anniversary of the Children's Festival, a large-scale annual event that is part of the Reading Odyssey partnership. In addition to the Children's Festival, other activities take place each year, such as the Hats Off Festival and the Reading Carnival. These activities incorporate a variety of activity booths, crafts, and entertainment shows, focused on exposing children to the love of reading.

Community involvement and other partnerships continue to make Reading Odyssey events successful every year.

Name of Contact Person: Melissa Baker
Title of Contact Person: Marketing and Program Coordinator
School/Library Name: Montgomery County Memorial Library System
Mailing Address: 104 I-45 North, Controe, TX 77301
Phone: (936) 788-8377
Email Address: mbaker@countylibrary.org
URL of Library: http://www.countylibrary.org

Date: 07-14-09 
Title of Program:  School & Public Librarians Collaboration 
Type of Program: Special Events
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Preschool - Grade 12
Description of Program: Gallatin, Tennessee Public Librarians meet several times a year with Gallatin school librarians to collaborate and share ideas about how the two groups can work together more effectively to provide services for students of Sumner County. As the new downtown Gallatin Public Library was planned, a team of school librarians met with the public librarians to help plan programming and facilities to optimize use by students.  Opening events for the new library included a special evening with school librarians and principals to provide a sneak preview of the new facility and share services and programs for students and teachers.  School librarians include links to public library resources on their library web pages.  Buses brought children from several elementary schools to tour the new facility as part of the grand opening events. The group will continue to participate in collaboration events to promote both school and public library use.
Name of Contact Person: Dr. Judy Bivens 
Title of Contact Person: Program Coordinator for MLIS at Trevecca Nazarene University & Member of Gallatin Public Steering Committee 
School/Library Name: Gallatin Public Library 
Mailing Address: 665 Baypoint Drive, Gallatin, TN 37066 
Phone: (615) 330-5649 
Email Address: jbivens@trevecca.edu
Citation for any presentation(s) or article(s) reflecting partnership: Bivens, J. (2007) Collaboration between public and school libraries. Sumner County Schools Inservice. Gallatin, TN 

Title of Program: Storytelling Festival
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: Storytelling Festival – an annual festival presented during National Libray Week that features school-aged storytellers. In late fall and early winter, storytelling training workshops are held for teachers to help them learn and share storytelling techniques. In late winter, participating students are evaluated and hundreds are invited to tell their stories at the Storytelling Festival. (Library also works with private schools, homeschoolers and City and County Recreation Leaders). Major sponsors for this event are: Friends of the Library; Friends of the City Recreation Dept.; Friends of the County Recreation Dept.; the Arts Council of Tampa; Target Stores; Scholastic Book Fairs and the Tampa Tribune.
Contact Information:
Priscilla Lakus, Tampa –Hillsborough County Public Library System
900 N. Ashley Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33602
(813) 273-3648
Lakusp@hillsboroughcounty.org

Title of Program: Tall Trees Programs
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: We in Fairfield County were also beneficiaries of the Reader's Digest largesse. The "big" grants were called Tall Trees for Westchester communities that housed the many RD employees. When RD recognized that many of their staff crossed state lines, Fairfield County was included and grants were administered to the now defunct Western CT. Library Council. (Thanks, now resigned in shame Gov. John Rowland who slashed the budget big time.) The grants were for $1500 which could be split any way the school and public library deemed appropriate. The Bridgeport Public Library received about seven of these over a 3 year period. Collaborations included "P.I.E. Partners in Education" for parents of children in a K-1 classroom at one of our worst schools. Storytelling for 7th graders, Book Buddy programs between 5th and 1st graders, a book discussion club, and a reading program in the school not unlike most public library summer programs. Another one was about Bridgeport history and we included a tour of our Historical Collections and a workshop/concert with the CT State Troubador.
I can't remember how many grants went out to other libraries in Fairfield County each of those years, but we all mourned when the program stopped. The ties with the schools continue, some intermittently and some with great regularity. All in all, the grants were wonderful not only for their creative projects and needed collaborations which evolved, but also for their ease of planning and reporting. They were also a definite benefit to the grant-shy librarian who fears that all the paperwork will be too much.
Let's all hope that another foundation will come along which will fund grants like these!
Contact Information:
Bina Williams
Bridgeport Public Library
Bridgeport CT
bwilliams@brdgprtpl.lib.ct.us

Date: 06/18/09
Title of Program:  Tween Visionaries
Type of Program: Special Events
Intended Grade Level of Participants: Grades 6-8
Description of Program: The Frederick County Public Libraries and Frederick County Public Schools created a collaborative Web 2.0 project targeted to middle school students.  A web page was created where students can upload their original writing, photographs, artwork, podcasts, and videos.  The students need to register at the public library or their school library.  Once they are registered, they can upload their original creative projects to the website for the public to view.  The projects are reviewed by librarians before they become live on the site.  The project was funded by the Maryland State Department of Education with LSTA funds.  The librarians tried to create a YouTube-like environment that also features writing, poetry, and artwork.  The students’ projects can be seen at http://www.tweenvisionaries.org.
Name of Contact Person: Sandra L. Doggett
Title of Contact Person: Supervisor of Library Media
School/Library Name: Frederick County Public Schools
Mailing Address: 7630 Hayward Road, Frederick, MD 21702
Phone: (301) 644-5134

Title of Program: Various
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: Secondary (Middle school, high school and college)
Description of Program: I am part of a trio of librarians who have done several collaborative programs over the past year with schools, the public library and an academic library. I am a subject/outreach librarian at Valley Library, Oregon State University, Bryan Miyagishima is the librarian at Philomath High School, and Andrew Cherbas is the outreach librarian at Corvallis-Benton County Public Library. Here's a list of the programs we've worked on since last September:
-Senior Seminar at Philomath High School (all three of us) - advising students working on their senior projects
-Seminar for a middle school class working on science fair projects (Andrew and I) -"Researching IFO's (Identified Flying Objects) (all three of us) - a upcoming summer Saturday Academy class for 9-12th graders offered through university outreach. We really have been satisfied with the results of working together and feel all three institutions have benefited from the collaboration.
Contact Information:
Susan Goodson
Science Librarian, Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
541-737-7301
susan.goodson@oregonstate.edu

Title of Program: Young Authors Reception
Type of Program: Special Events
Age level: K-8
Description of Program: Each spring, the Edwardsville Public Library Youth Services staff hosts a Young Authors Tea to recognize grade-level and school-wide winners from local public and parochial schools in the Young Authors writing contest. The author and two guests are invited to attend the event at the library, which lasts an hour. The authors bring their books and are seated in the front of the room. Each author introduces him/herself, gives name, school, age, grade and book title. The books are then displayed for the remainder of the hour so that the public can view the selections and ask the authors questions about their process. Punch and cookies are served. Approximately 40 authors plus guests attend each year.
Contact Information:
Barb Driesner, Youth Services Librarian
Edwardsville Public Library
112 S. Kansas St.
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-692-7556
barbarad at lcls.org
 


   

Summer Reading Programs and Lists

Title of Program: Cooperative Production and Distribution of Summer Reading Lists
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: The Carroll County Public Library has a long-standing cooperative effort with the Carroll County Public School system to produce and distribute recommended summer reading lists to every student in the elementary schools. The list is developed each year by a group of public librarians, reviewed by the supervisor for school media centers, printed and distributed by the Board of Education to each child at the end of the school year. We recently began producing a similar list for middle schools. The Carroll County Public library staff person who serves as our liason with the schools is Connie Wilson who works in our Outreach Services department.
Contact Information:
Brenda Conaway
Westminster Library
50 East Main Street
Westminster, MD. 21157
410-386-4490 Ext. 729

Title of Program: Cooperative Summer Reading Program
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists, School Visits to the Public Library
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: Newport Public Library and Yaquina View Elementary School in Newport, Oregon, have been running a cooperative Summer Reading program for three years. The Title I (Reading Recovery) program at Yaquina View School has used USDE grant monies to pay for teaching staff. This is how the program works:
The library's summer reading program meets once a week on Wednesday afternoons. The school program meets at the same time in the library with the students attending the program. Both before and after the program the teaching staff meets with students for one-on-one and small group reading instruction. About 40 children participate in the school program and another 100+ participate in the library program.
This cooperative program has introduced the library to many families who would not otherwise be using it in the summer (or any other time). The students participate in the reading rewards part of the library program as well and, for many of them, it is the first opportunity to recieve the same recognition that the "normal reader" kids get.
The school staff have been tracking the testing results of their students and statistics show students involved in the summer reading program actually gain skills over the summer.
Both library and school staff are very happy with this program and hope to continue it indefinitely.
Contact Information:
Rebecca Cohen
Newport Public Library
Newport, Oregon
storyweaver@newportlibrary.org

Title of Program: Linn Library League Summer Reading Program
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists, Public Library Visits to Schools
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: Linn Library League is a volunteer group of Linn County residents who want to bring high-quality, publicly funded library service to everyone in Linn County. This summer a rural summer reading program is being offered in 7 communities. Five programs will be offered in school libraries--four are public schools and one is a charter school. The funding for our program comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library.
Contact Information:
May Garland
(503) 394-3696
garlandm@smt-net.com

Title of Program: N/A
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists
Age level: N/A
Description of Program: For our summer library program we contact the schools and ask them to offer incentives for kids who finish the summer library program. Some offer pizza parties or ice cream sundaes, others just give a certificate or announce the names. One school gives each child a free book. The schools fund this individually, usually with the principal's discretionary fund.
Contact Information:
Deborah L. Dubois
Children's Outreach Librarian
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
deborah_dubois@freenet.richland.oh.us

Title of Program: PowerCard Committee
Type of Program: Library Card Campaigns, Summer Reading Programs
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: The Schools and Public Libraries in Palm Beach County, Florida have a partnership called the PowerCard Committee. It is 6 years old.
The PowerCard mission is to encourage children and their families to develop a love of reading, learning and libraries. Because of the work of this group, all students in Palm Beach County Schools can get free library cards at their choice of 15 county and 7 city libraries. This provides students access to combined library collections of approximately 2 million items to help with their school assignments.
PowerCard sponsors an annual library card campaign in September through contests in the schools and public libraries with incentives provided by local businesses. We've even been able to make sure that a library card is included on the school supply list. Right now we're working on our yearly Summer Reading Program promotion. Students will view in their classrooms a video created by the committee advertising Read Across Florida (our Summer theme). Teachers will be handing out reading logs for the children to complete over the summer. These were also created by the PowerCard committee and the libraries will use the same one. So there is one unified program for both the libraries and the school system.
Why is PowerCard Important? It's building new bridges of cooperation in the community to support literacy and ultimately to see our students succeed in school. Palm Beach County libraries and school district have developed partnerships with the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition; Children's Service Council and other local agencies.
Contact Information:
Wendy Rosenfeld
Youth Services Coordinator
Palm Beach County Library System
3650 Summit Blvd.
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406-4198
Tel. 561-233-2745
FAX 561-233-2627

Title of Program: Summer Reading Club
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists
Age level: Secondary (middle and high school)
Description of Program: We launch our Summer Reading Club in the schools during National Library Week with booktalks, author visits, giveaways, and displays.
Contact Information:
tgermano@suffolk.lib.ny.us

Title of Program: Summer Reading Program School Promotion
Type of Program: Summer Reading Programs and Lists
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: Through Multnomah County Library's Summer Reading school promotion, K-5 teachers can sign their students up for Summer Reading while school is still in session. School library staff receive information about the program, a reproducible fax cover sheet, and class roster form that teachers can fill out and fax to Multnomah County Library by mid-May. (Teachers can send a copy of their own class roster if they prefer.) The library delivers the gameboards to the schools by June 1, in time for the start of Summer Reading. URL: www.multcolib.org/summer/teachers/
Contact Information:
Katie O'Dell
Reading Promotions Coordinator
Multnomah County Library
205 NE Russell
Portland, OR 97212
503.988.6002
kodell@multcolib.org


   

Tutoring/Student Success Programs

Title of Program: Early Reading First
Type of Program: Tutoring/Student Success Programs
Age level: Elementary (Pre-K), Head Start
Description of Program: The Montgomery County Public Library is a Partner to the Montgomery County Public School Early Reading First (ERF) Grant program.The purpose of the Grant is to enhance the Pre-K and Head Start classes so they better prepare children for reading in Kindergarten.
In the schools, the Grant involves five elementary schools and two daycare centers. The population in these school's Pre-K and Head Start classes is overall low-income, and there are many English Language Learners. The program utilizes a preschool curriculum from Scholastic and introduces the practices of dialogic reading, flooding the classrooms with books, “enhanced literacy play” and a program for “scaffolded” writing. Each school has an experienced Pre-K teacher who acts as Mentor to the 3 to 5 Pre-K, Head Start and PEP (preschool education preparation) classes at that school.
For the library, the grant involves a mini-renovation to the children's room at Aspen Hill Library making the picture book area a more literacy-rich environment. The grant also includes a staff person. That's me, Susan Modak, I started at Aspen Hill Library in February, 2004.
For two years before that, Montgomery County Public Libraries staff from the Library Director to the Early Childhood Specialists to Aspen Hill's Agency Manager and Head of Children's Services (past and present), and others worked on the vision and the grant application.
Since February, I've visited each of the ERF classrooms for a story time. This allowed the teachers to introduce a special visitor/reader from the library and for me to meet the children and the teachers, see the class settings and gauge the children's language abilities.
In May and June, the seventeen ERF classes visited the library. While visiting, the class groups had a tour (picture book area, ask-the-librarian-a-question, summer reading program display, videos, books in Spanish), a short story-time and time to choose a book. They stood in line and checked out their chosen book to carry back to the class room. Feedback from the teachers was very positive and reflected that the children enjoyed the stories and most enjoyed having the chance to choose a book and check it out. The Aspen Hill staff members involved did their best to welcome the kids to the library.
At the end of June, I presented a program for parents called “Read with Me/Lee Conmigo” offering suggestions for how the library can support the parent's efforts to help their children learn to read. The program was held at the community center in the low-income housing complex nearby and was attended by eight mothers. In addition to the program, the attendees could also pick from a selection of library brochures.
While working on the desk in the children's room, I actively publicize the library's preschool programming and the school's Head Start and Pre-Kindergarten opportunities to the parents of likely-looking customers (anyone who is roughly preschool age). Someone from the Head Start office dropped off a bi-lingual flyer today and I've posted it at several places around the library, including in the Adult Spanish book area.
Contact Information:
Susan Modak
Montgomery County (MD) Public Libraries
Outreach Librarian, Aspen Hill Library
4407 Aspen Hill Road
Rockville, Maryland 20853
301-871-0458
Susan.Modak@montgomerycountymd.gov

Title of Program: FCAT Program
Type of Program: Tutoring/Student Success Programs
Age level: Elementary (3rd grade)
Description of Program: As part of a State of Florida funded grant, the public library hired two reading teachers as tutors for third graders selected by the Hillsborough County School System. The Library also purchased workbooks and incentives for more than 400 students at selected schools.
Contact Information:
Priscilla Lakus, Tampa –Hillsborough County Public Library System
900 N. Ashley Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33602
(813) 273-3648
Lakusp@hillsboroughcounty.org

Title of Program: Read Aloud: Dog Days at Your Library
Type of Program: Tutoring/Student Success Programs
Age level: Elementary (K-6th grade)
Description of Program: "Read Aloud:  Dog Days at your Library" was funded by an LSTA grant to help children who read below grade level improve their reading skills and gain self-confidence by reading aloud to a Certified Therapy Dog, who is also a Certified R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) and the dog's owner.
Each session is 20 to 30 minutes where one child reads to one dog one day a week for four weeks.  The maximum time for one dog to spend being read to is two hours. At the end of each session the child choose a hardback book as a reward that they can take home and keep.  The R.E.A.D. dog "pawtographs" the book.
Ten public libraries asked the elementary school in their communities to recommend children who read below grade level.  The dog teams (the dog and the dog's owner) held the session at either the public library or in the school building. The public librarian selected books from the public library collection for the children to choose from to read to the dog.  The school arranged the time for the students to be away from their class to participate in the program. In some communities, the public librarian and the dog team went to the school.  In other communities, the public librarian walked the children to and from the school to the public library for the R.E.A.D. session. 
Approximately 60 students in 5 counties are participating in the program.  Libraries and schools have found the program so successful they want to continue the program during the upcoming school year.
Lief, a boy who was in 2nd grade chose a preschool reader the first week and ended the program reading 2nd grade reader. He read 4 books. Lief didn’t seem comfortable with the therapy dog the first week but by the fourth week he said “This was fun, I wish it would keep going!” The dog would lay its head on the boy’s thigh and “listen” to the stories. The dog trainer would say “Corky thinks you have been practicing!” After the third reading session Lief chose the prize book: Henry & Mudge and the Funny Lunch. He asked if he could bring it back next time to read to Corky. When he arrived on the last R.E.A.D. session he had the prize book in hand. Lief said “Can I practice reading this to Corky so I can read it to my mom on Sunday for Mother’s Day?” After reading the book cover to cover he said “My present to my mom is going to be me reading this book to her”. 
The Regional Public Library System administered the grant, worked with the local dog training center to provide training to certify the therapy dogs, provided the R.E.A.D. Manuals for training the dog owners, connected the dog owners and the public librarians, and selected the books for rewards for each child.
Contact Information:
Rebecca Patton
Arrowhead Library System
5528 Emerald Avenue
Mountain Iron, MN 55768
218-741-3840
rpatton@arrowhead.lib.mn.us

Title of Program: Reading Scores!
Type of Program: Tutoring/Student Success Programs
Age level: Elementary (3rd grade)
Description of Program: We did a reading tutoring program called Reading Scores! last summer. It was an LSTA funded program though the Florida State Library targeting 3rd graders who failed the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test.) We had to rely on school referrals to find these students because test records are not public. While the program was very successful, cooperation from the schools was mixed, some schools never gave the information to students while other actively referred students though us.
A belief that a personal connection with the schools is a must to make an interaction succeed. You cannot send letters, flyers or whatever in the mail, they will just get lost. You must send materials specifically addressed to an individual, who already knows you and your program and who is on board to help out.
Contact Information:
Maria Mena
Youth Services Coordinator
LeRoy Collins Leon Co. Public Library
200 West Park Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida 32301-7720
(850) 487-2665
(850) 487-1793 FAX
menam@leoncountyfl.gov


   

Cautionary Tales

Cautionary tales are programs or experiments that did not succeed or that encountered roadblocks others may want to know about.


Title of Program: This message relates to the FCAT tutoring program listed in the Tutoring/Student Success section above
Type of Program: Cautionary Tale
Age level: Elementary (3rd grade)
Description of Program: The summer FCAT tutoring program in 2003 did not reach as many students as we had hoped. Time needed to hire the tutors and get the information and locations out to the public proved to be too much of a challenge. The students that did attend the tutoring programs got intense one-on-one instruction that enabled them all to advance to their next grade level.
Contact Information:
Priscilla Lakus, Tampa –Hillsborough County Public Library System
900 N. Ashley Drive
Tampa, Fl. 33602
(813) 273-3648
Lakusp@hillsboroughcounty.org

Title of Program: This message relates to the School Corps program listed in the Public Library Visits to Schools section above.
Type of Program: Cautionary Tale
Age level: Elementary & Secondary
Description of Program: Schools in my area are very fortunate to have the Multnomah County Library's School Corps. I must admit that I was reticent when I first heard about Multnomah County's new program to assist school libraries. Schools in our area, as in many other areas of the country, continue to struggle to find adequate and stable funding. When budget woes appear, “extra” services, such as libraries can be on the chopping block—both book budgets and personnel. Multnomah County, seeing a need to help, offered assistance. It was a learning curve for both of us. On one hand, who can say no to additional resources, services and help. On the other hand, it is very important that this additional help and services are not perceived to replace school libraries and librarians.
Most public librarians we began to work with needed to learn about the role of the school librarian. It is much like being all the librarians in a large public library. A school librarian wears many hats—often all at the same time! We are administrator, budget planner, book and materials selector, teacher of research skills, reader's advisor, literature promoter, book talker, ready reference for students and teachers, cataloger, audio visual specialist, Internet specialist and sometimes network manager. We also are copyright specialist for our buildings, as well as a reading expert, curriculum consultant and in-service provider to staff on changing technology.
At one of our first meetings with School Corps personnel, they offered to come into my school and teach students how to use an online card catalog and surf the Internet. I was rather blunt and told them that's what I do. Does that mean I can't use additional help? Of course not.
Multnomah County Library School Corps' promotional information now states the services that they provide to “connect students and teachers with the information resources of the public library.” They are clear that they add to the current services of school libraries and extend to what the public library has to offer. Some of the most popular services are training on DYNA, their online catalog; customized webliographies (annotated lists of age-appropriate websites for particular assignments) what I would love to do more of if I had the time; and customized book talks. They also offer “buckets of books” to teachers, special educator library cards that allow a longer 6 week checkout and have run promotions for public library cards for students.
The School Corps and public school libraries have formed a wonderful partnership in Multnomah County, with the School Corps promoting the resources of the public library and collaborating with school teachers and librarians, both respecting each other's role.
Contact Information:
Marlene Hagen
Centennial High School
Gresham, OR

Title of Program: This message relates to the Middle School/High School/Afterschool Outreach program listed in the Public Library Visits to Schools section above.
Type of Program: Cautionary Tale
Age level: Secondary
Description of Program: One caution - the primary teacher must stay in the classroom (or library conference room) at all times. They should not let an aide or other adult 'represent' them. It's not just about personal safety, it's also about classroom control. If a group is acting disrespectful, stop. If a teacher is acting disrespectful, stop. If you can state clearly upfront what your expectations of the teachers are, that is very important. Some of them just act like it is an hour off for them. If the teacher does not listen to what you are saying then how are they going to reinforce it later on?
Contact Information:
Melissa A. Pillot
Young Adult Specialist
Teen Services
St Louis Public Library
1415 Olive Street
St Louis, MO 63103
(314)657-1000
MPillot@SLPL.LIB.MO.US

Title of Program: This message relates to the BLAST program listed in the Public Library Visits to Schools section above.
Type of Program: Cautionary Tale
Age level: Elementary
Description of Program: We started out working with the school district and needed to find the right group to work with and at the right level of administration in order to have full support and implementation. Levels of administration can put a stop to something if they are overlooked—so you need to know the pecking order. We work exclusively with the Pittsburgh Public Schools
Contact Information:
Georgene DeFilippo
Youth Services Coordinator
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
130 Whitfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
phone 412-665-2106
defilippog@carnegielibrary.org