Programming Librarian

From the Library

Collaboration @ Your School Library
Though I work in an independent school that embraces its library, I did not think it would hurt to make a stronger case for the value of our library; therefore, I decided to host a wide variety of events throughout the year. From documentary film day to organic garden building, I wanted to go beyond the author visit and offer my students thought-provoking and interesting activities. Along the way I learned a few important lessons.

Getting the Most from Your Museum/Library Partnership
Perhaps it’s a symptom of the economy and diminishing resources, but there is more talk than ever about partnerships and collaboration in all types of organizations, including libraries and other nonprofits. We are being urged to “maximize resources,” “leverage assets,” and “avoid duplication” in the work we do.

Libraries and Humanities Councils: A Perfect Partnership
October’s National Arts and Humanities Month offers a great opportunity to celebrate and expand upon a partnership that has been thriving for more than three decades—the partnership between libraries and state humanities councils. Since the state humanities councils were created in the early 1970s, libraries have been their most consistent and rewarding partners, and councils in turn have been among the local library’s most committed supporters.

Making a Difference Together
Partnerships are critical to what we do every day. Their value cannot be underestimated. By working together it allows us to go beyond simply doing “more with less,” to doing “more with more.” Public libraries are in a unique position to act as a catalyst for innovative community development initiatives. Proactively reaching out to our community stakeholders enables us to improve services and leverage limited resources to build better communities.

No Library Is an Island: Community Collaborations
Gone are the days when the library stood in splendid isolation. Libraries partner with all kinds of organizations to deliver programs and produce audiences ... more libraries than ever are reporting that successful collaborations are central to their planning and no longer an afterthought.

The Language of Collaboration: Connecting Zoos, Libraries, and Poetry for Environmental Awareness
Gone are the days when the library stood in splendid isolation. Libraries partner with all kinds of organizations to deliver programs and produce audiences ... more libraries than ever are reporting that successful collaborations are central to their planning and no longer an afterthought.

From the Blog

Call of the Wild (and of the Canines)
Let’s just get this out of the way: I’m a dog person. I’d say ask me about my own dog, but you don’t have to—chances are, I’ll tell you about her anyway. And so when I saw that Stockton-San Joaquin County (Calif.) Public Library had picked Call of the Wild by Jack London for their Big Read program and kicked it off with an event featuring dogs, I had to share.

Celebrating Latino Culture and Food
Yesterday, the Fullerton (Ca.) Public Library (FPL) hosted a celebration of Latino food as part of Gustavo Arellano’s “Awesome Lecture Series!” Arellano, a lecturer with Cal State Fullerton’s (CSUF) Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, gave a brief presentation on the history of Latino food in Orange County.

Collaborating to Create Award-Winning School Programming
On a beautiful Sunday morning in June, I was standing in the convention center in Anaheim, California. I was there on behalf of my school, to receive a check for $4,000 and plaque as part of the Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming.

Crossroads Juvenile Center's Great Stories CLUB Experience
Passages Academy Libraries and Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) have collaborated to bring Rounds I and II of the Great Stories CLUB to the students at Crossroads Juvenile Center. During both rounds we sought to provide library services to the female students, a minority population at Crossroads. Initially, Lisa Goldstein and Vani Natarajan of BPL and I faced a number of challenges in implementing this program.

Featured Library: Milner Library, Illinois State University
Milner Library at Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal just finished hosting the “John Adams Unbound” traveling exhibition, which focuses on Adams’ 3,500-volume personal library that his family donated in 1894 to the Boston Public Library.

Featured Library: Scituate Town Library
Looking for programming that includes parents, children, teens, science, and a local partnership? Check out the the Scituate (Mass.) Town Library for inspiration.

In a Nutshell: A Collaborative Adventure in Library Programming
It was January 2011, and I had only been working at the Haverford Township (Pa.) Free Library for three weeks. My director handed me an announcement of an opportunity titled “Traveling Exhibitions Exploring Jewish History and Culture.” She and I had just been discussing ways to expand our programming at the library, so I was game.

San Diego Public Library Collaboration with KPBS on “One Book, One San Diego”
In January 2007, KPBS, San Diego’s local public broadcasting station, and the San Diego Public Library (SDPL) launched “One Book, One San Diego,” a community-wide reading initiative designed to educate and enlighten on topics and themes of concern to our community while promoting reading as a source of pleasure and enrichment. This campaign is similar to some found in other cities, but with the distinction of having a public television and radio station join forces with a public library. This joint effort expanded the campaign and created a stronger impact and connection with the community.

Science in the Summer
I admit that, during my high school years, I only reinforced the stereotype that girls were no good at math and science. (In fact, saying I was “no good” is probably being too kind; my chemistry teacher would likely suggest “utterly hopeless at” as more accurate.) I can’t help but wonder what might have been, however, if I had had a Science in the Summer program at my library as a child.

The Language of Conservation: A Case Study in Library-Zoo Partnerships
Libraries may have a physical location, but the possibilities for programming extend far beyond four walls. Partnering with an external organization allows libraries to solicit model programs that provide interesting and innovative ways to disseminate information and educate their community. One such program is “The Language of Conservation”, which connects libraries, poets, and zoos together for a mix of humanities and sciences.