Welcome bag for new babies
School visits

The library where I used to work would bring a display to Kindergarten sign-up events and hand out books, flyers about library programming, and even sign up kids for library cards there at the site. We would also go out to daycares and read stories with individual daycare classes, and also check a bag of books out to them on a monthly basis. Visiting daycares is a great way to reach out to the community because you are reaching those kids whose parents do not bring them into the library on a regular basis. Also, for summer reading we would go the school's and usually have a big congregation with the classes and talk about summer reading, how to get prizes, how many books you read, etc.

I know at the library I work at now the mobile library (or bookmobile) will make stops at summer day camps during the Summer Reading Program. To make it known that it is a library activity, bring lots of literature about the library i.e. flyers on how to get a library card, program handouts, library card sign up apps., newsletters, where your name tag, and just talk to people about what the library offers. This is all part of _/*outreach */_and that should be an integral part of your library's mission statement.

MD

Hi--

We took a group of 3rd-8th graders to a play last year. Most of them were part of an after-school group that writes and illustrates, but we invited others to join us. We carpooled about 40 miles. The play fit into our mission statement because it expanded an appreciation of the arts. Parents and kids were excited about it and we had no problems. This group is now gently expanding toward theatre arts.

I take preschool story times into local daycare and preschool sites, with great success. I just pack a bag with three books and a literacy activity and visit several classrooms. Those kids have begun to ask their parents to bring them to the library--they feel a connection to us that wasn't there before. This absolutely fits into our Mission Statement--we are SO expanding literacy and helping kids and families develop reading as a life-long habit.

And we're a part of the local Arts Festival. The library does a chalk walk and contributes a craft to the Children's tent.

We publicize these events in the newsletter, on our calendar, with signs that are posted around town, and in the newspaper.

I hope this is of help!

Peg

I do two off-site programs in summer held at two local historical sites. One site is a national park, the other is owned by our township. At each site I read a story, the children do a craft, and everyone takes a tour of the house. Sign-up for the program is the same as we do for our in-house programs.

Jessica, I've only done a couple off-site activities. One was the "end of summer reading" party last year, which we held at our community center. No problem associating that with the library! The other was a large scale story time at a local horse barn. I made sure there was a literary element at each event, which helped it fit our mission statement and associate it with the library. I introduced myself as the librarian, included some kind of library cheer or chant at the end, and promoted the library's upcoming programs. I think if you start each program mentioning the library, and end each program mentioning the library, no matter what happens in between you've established it as a library event.

Jessica

What kinds of off-site activities have you done/are you doing? How? For about 5 years, staff at the Frankfort library provides Daycare Outreach with monthly visits to daycare providers who want the service. The Assistant Children's Librarian reads stories, etc. Providers can check out a tub of books, puppets, and audio to use for a month, then return the next time the library lady visits. We've worked with the YMCA ( with success) , Boys' and Girls' Club (with little success), Head Start (with success), the Hospital Foundation at their Health Fair (with success) and other groups. We read stories, share program crafts, and promote literacy.

When school staff request the librarian read stories or participate in library card registration, staff go.

Do you ever go on field trips, say for Summer Reading? For more than 20 years, staff at the Frankfort library has visited the public elementary schools to promote summer reading. We call the schools to schedule the visits. Some years, some schools are busy with remodeling or other projects and we don't visit that year, but visit the next year.

How does it tie into your Library Mission Statement, or job descriptions? "The purpose of the Frankfort Community Public Library/Clinton Country Contractual Public Library (the library) is to provide the citizens with materials, programs, and facilities to meet their nees for education, information and recreation."

Other facts about Frankfort that facilitates outreach: Children's Department staff includes 2 full time and 5 part time people. The Library Board of Trustees and administrative staff support outreach.

What kind of response have you received from parents? The community? The community that we reach appreciate the services. Parents feel happy to see library card registration at school open houses and other events. One daycare outreach parent recently wrote to staff to tell them how much she and her child like the visits to the daycare provider. The daycare providers use the materials they check out and comment positively about the program.

Have you had problems with these kinds of activities conflicting with the Mission Statement or Job Description? No, our mission includes outreach. Extension service, the van libray, has been a part of the library service for more than 25 years.

How do make it known that it's a library activity? We have a sign to display when our outreach is a staffed display. At outreach programs, our host introduces us a library staff.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Jessica.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library has done some reciprocal programming with museums in our area. Both the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art run activities at our annual city-wide Fairy Tale Festival as well as at our Children's Book Week Celebration. In return, we offer programs for them. Sometimes, this involves a family tour of the museum with a docent and a librarian. The docent gives information about the paintings or sculptures and the librarian reads aloud or tells stories that have some connection.

For this program, the librarian goes to the museum ahead of time and walks around with the docent, choosing display items that can be connected with library materials. The librarian and the docent plan the tour together, and the program is advertised in both library material as well as in museum publications.

Stories for these kind of gallery tours have included Diane Wolkstein's The Banza told in front of a mosaic with tigers, Daniel Pinkwater's Tooth-Gnasher Super Flash read in front of car sculpture, Anthony Browne's Willie the Wimp in front of an oil painting of a man with well-formed muscles, and a reading of Max Found Two Sticks (along with rhythm stick activities) in an exhibit with illustrations by Brian Pinkney.

Because we want to offer public library services to the public without charge, we participate in museum programs on days when admission is free to the public. Or, we participate in tours at museums that charge admission fees but have free museum passes that can be checked out at our library.

Betsy

Hi - I'm responding to your pubyac query. The library is part of the community and outreach is a part of our library's long-range goals, particularly working with other community organizations. I have arranged walking trips with the local historical group, visits to places out of town like the police station, water authority, an out-of-town museum next to a beach, etc. Sometimes I suggest bringing a picnic lunch or snacks. I always require a parent to accompany the children, even on walking trips. Parents must provide their own transportation. I require advance sign up and limited numbers. All have been free trips and well-received. Anne McLaughlin, West Warwick Public Library RI

Jessica, 

   I do quite a bit of off-site work on behalf of our library.  We promote our Summer Reading Program to all the schools in our district in May.  For Children's Book Week, we go around to all our elementary and intermediate schools and share stories (for the younger) and book talks (for the older students).  We also have an event called Kansas Reads to Preschoolers.  My week consists of programs within the building as well as outreach to all the daycares, preschools, and in-home child care facilities that I can get in to.
   Our former director was a strong believer in community outreach, so she allowed me to set up several other programs.  For Earth Day, I joined with our local city Rec dept. and the National Resources Conservation Service to present a special program at our Rec Center.

This has been ongoing for 4 years now. On Kansas Day, I generally line up a presenter and take him or her to both of our Intermediate schools and both of our Middle schools. 

   I received a materials grant to promote healthy lifestyles, so I currently have two outreach programs going on that.  One is to an after school program.  Once a month, I give a nutrition-type lesson, complete with snack at their facility.  I did this last school year also.  The other one is at our Rec Center and involves participants from the Rec, the Extension Service, and our local school district.  This is also a return program from last year.
   Our community (19,000+) has an annual Children's Healthy Fun Fair.

The library always has a booth there where we try to tie in healthy living with items we have in our collection. 

   Last school we did a huge outreach.  We lined up several presenters and made sure each school K-8 got to either have an open house all to themselves at the library or got to have the presenter as a guest at their school.  We had an author,  the Kansas Cosmosphere, a traveling theatre group, and other neat things.  We even had tee shirts printed that said So Much to See, So Much to Do @ Your Library (the ALA theme) on their backs and then all the presenters printed on the back.  The front in letters on the left side said "Memorial Library Outreach Program".  We gave so many away at each school we went to.
   I hope this is what you were looking for.  I probably told you way more than you wanted to know.  It just seems difficult sometimes to get people into the library, so we decided to go out to them.  Sometimes that friendly face at an off-site program can encourage a non-library user to come check out our library.

Carol Rittscher Youth Services Coordinator Memorial Library Liberal KS

We have used both National Parks and State Parks with great success. We have used our Wildlife resources commission for a family fishing program. Museums are another source that comes to our facilities. We have used things like gem stone mining, mini fossil find, and live animal programs.

All these professionals have done a great job for us.

We are currently working with schools to show large group performers since our library facility is relocating for an expansion project.

Hope this helps

Hi Jessica;

During the summer we work with the city parks and recreation department. They have daycamps at various parks and playgrounds throughout the city, and we arrange to go out and do a short storytime for them. We can only manage to hit each location 3 times during the summer because we are busy with other stuff, and there's usually between 10 and 15 locations to visit. It is really exhausting, but I think it's worth it because kids who maybe wouldn't visit the library otherwise get to see the librarian and can participate in the summer reading club. I think it falls firmly into the area of community outreach, which is definitely in the job description.

~Arwen

Hi Jessica, 

  We have had off-site programs in the past.  Last summer we used the "Get a Clue" reading program.  I contacted the community outreach police officer and arranged for a tour of the police department.  We advertised it as part of the SRP and people had to register for it at the library.  A staff person was in charge of the program and attended the tour with the group.  We met at the police station, so there were no transportation issues.  In every way, except that it was outside the library, this was treated as a regular library program.
  When I was doing adult programming, we had an off site program that went along with other programs about Sweden.  We took a bus trip to our local Ikea store and looked at Scandinavian design.  Another time, we had a book discussion about Girl With a Pearl Earring and later had a bus trip to a local museum and toured with a docent familiar with the book, artist, time period, etc.
  We feel that adding off-site programs adds quite a bit to the other programs we offer.  They seem to be well received in the community and we've never had a complaint.  All off site programs require registration at the library and at least one library staff member attends.  Providing entertaining/educational programs is viewed as part of our mission.  We don't do off site programs often, but most of the staff sees these programs as part of their job, no matter where the program takes place. 
   If you have any other questions, I'll try to answer them.

Sandy 

 do one or two off site programs each year...we make fairy houses in a nearby park. We have outdoor activities such as a May Pole and Easter Egg Hunt on library property and this Saturday we are having our annual Ground Hog Hunt at the Loon Preservation Society park. (I hide a stuffed groundhog along one of the trails a day ahead).  My previous library insisted on having permission slips signed by caregivers.  This library is a bit more rural...the youngsters being driven to the locations so they are generally accompanied by an adult.