Are You Taking Advantage of All Your Library Has to Offer Children?

My son is old enough now that I was pretty sure he'd be ready for the preschool storytime our public library offers each week. (They offer a toddler story time too, but it conflicted with our weekly playgroup, so we'd never been.)

I had no idea how much could be packed into one story time! The theme for the week was stories about bread and butter. Ms. Susan started the children off with an action rhyme that they do every week. Then she read Epossumondas, an amusing story about a possum who "doesn't have the sense he was born with" (including the sense that would tell him not to carry butter on his head under a hat.) She then told a story about Briar Rabbit, Briar Wolf, and a butter tree using puppets and a few simple props. The children did some more rhymes and had the chance to get up and stretch. We finished with another book about bread, butter, and a cat. Then the children had the chance to make butter and taste it, as well as do a craft related to the last book that was read. My son walked over to the puppets and props and began re-enacting parts of the Briar Rabbit story. I can't think of the last time I've offered that much entertainment to my child in a 45 minute period!

He was very excited about his craft (pictured above) because he's currently obsessed with cats. (He often asks me to call him by the name of his aunt's cat, rather than his real name.) That inspired me to stop by the desk in the children's section and ask them for recommendations of cat books. We came home with a great variety of book non-fiction and storybooks about cats. Browsing at the library with a 3 year old is no small task, and the librarian was so helpful in finding us books and setting them aside for when my wild-haired guy was finished running through the shelves. And you know what? As soon as we got home he wanted to read all those books (unlike some of other visits where I was trying to grab stuff off the shelves before he ran away from me.) The only downside to our library trip was he cried at lunch when I told him I didn't have any of the homemade butter they made during the story time.

"North Community Library Nonfiction" by Rochelle Hartman. Used under Creative Commons License. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tinfoilraccoon/13232567193

All of this got me thinking about the many ways families can get all the literacy resources available to them through their public libraries. Here are some tips for taking advantage of all your library has to offer:

• Now is a great time to ask about what your library's summer reading program is. Find out when you can sign up. Most offer special rewards when children reach certain milestones, as well as all kinds of special summer events. 
• Speaking of summer, why not take part in this fun Summer Library Challenge offered by What Do We Do All Day? and No Twiddle Twaddle. They have lots of ideas for getting you to experience different books than you might normally choose.
• Check out several different versions of the same story, such as Little Red Riding Hood and City Mouse, Country Mouse. This can lead to a great discussion with your child about different points of view.
• Based on my story above, you won't be surprised that I recommend attending library storytimes. Some libraries also offer book clubs for older children. Ask about other special events (or look for them on your library's calendar.) A quick scan of the Memphis Library's events calendar showed storytimes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers; a time for children with reading difficulties to read to therapy dogs, homework help, and a Family Tunes and Tales event held in cooperation with the Memphis Symphony.
• Many libraries hold used book sales as fundraisers. I've found stacks of books for both myself and my kids at very low prices.
• Head over to the non-fiction section of the children's department and choose a few books about a different culture or country to read.
• Especially if you think you child "doesn't like books," make sure you're visiting all the different areas of the children's department. A child who doesn't care for storybooks may love a non-fiction book about a favorite sport. Biographies, poetry, or folk tales may appeal to other children. 
• Your children's department may also have a parenting section full of resources addressing the kinds of behavior and learning challenges you've been scratching your head about.
• Ask your librarian if they are digital and computer resources available that are appropriate for your child's age. 
• Find out what art or historical exhibitions your library may have in the upcoming months. 

What other resources have you found to take advantage of at your local library?