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14 • COGNOTES 2015 ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS ISSUE

Learning Spaces in Libraries Include More than Books

By Barbara Flohr, Student to ALA

The Public Library Association (PLA) hosted “The Fusion of Play— and All Five Early Literacy Practices — into Library Environments” on June 27. During this session, librarians and designers described how they successfully incorporated early learning designs into their libraries with different-sized budgets.

Dorothy Stoltz, Carroll County Public Library, Maryland, used the Every Child Ready to Read and Zero to Three programs and Kindergarten Assessments in order to design early literacy play and learn centers. She was able to renovate two branches: the Westminster Branch for $100,000 and the Mt. Airy Branch for $86,000. In each of these renovations, the play and learn centers include bright colors; incorporate a puppet theater, play materials, and adult seating; and lend themselves to being a creative space.

Dana Bjerke, Hennepin County Library, Minnesota, did not have a substantial budget - somewhere between $500 and $1,500 -but she was able to work with other librarians to create play areas to prepare children for kindergarten. In order to create these spaces, Early Literacy Traveling Teams (ELTT) were created which consisted of library staff who traveled to other branches to learn about the patrons, create a purchase list, and schedule a date for installation. The ELTT also provided play training for all staff members and mentoring for the head librarian. The materials purchased for the learning spaces included light tables, doll houses, science and engineering materials, and reading and writing materials to provoke imaginative and creative play, social skills, and letter and number recognition.

Two of the presenters worked with designers to create early literacy spaces. Christy Estrovitz, San Francisco Public Library, embedded early literacy centers in the public libraries over 10 years. She worked with Kim van der Veen of Burgeon Group, which is committed to creating interactive learning spaces for public libraries. The two have created cozy nooks, colorful interactive spaces, and active learning areas for children and parents.

Marisa Conner, Baltimore County Public Library, worked with Blake Ratcliffe, founder and co-owner of TMCKids, to create play areas that produced learning with the overarching goal being school readiness. Connor included play nooks in each branch complete with colorful rugs, bin units, magnetic boards, and adult-child seating created by TMCKids. Conner also worked with designer James Bradberry of James Bradberry Architects to design Storyville, a children's area of 2,500 square feet located at the Rosedale Public Library in Rosedale, Maryland. This $1.75 million venture included separate areas developed to foster early literacy and school readiness skills.

American Library Association Black Caucus Unveils Reading is Grand! Celebrating Grand-Families

Kevin Watson, president of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), announced that four libraries will receive the 2015 Reading Is Grand! Celebrating Grand-Families Telling Our Stories @ Your Library grant. Reading Is Grand! is a celebration of the important role African-American grandparents and older adults play in the lives of children. It is through their infinite wisdom and experience that children learn the unique cultural and familial values that help them grow into valuable contributors to the community.

The grant-winning libraries — Wayne County Public Library, Goldsboro, North Carolina; Allen Parish Libraries, Oberlin Branch, Oberlin, Louisiana; Durham County Library, Main Branch, Durham, North Carolina; and Boston Public Library, Dudley Branch, Boston, Massachusetts were selected based on the level of creativity and originality of program criteria, action plans, level of involvement of grandparents in the activities, and impact of the program on the community.

The four winning library programs are as follows:

Wayne County Public Library

The focus of their Reading Is Grand! project is to teach middle school girls skills to interview their grandmothers and record their stories in both written video formats. The girls will meet every Tuesday beginning in July for seven weeks learning a variety of skills including how to develop questions and conducting interviews; videography techniques; and printing news articles. The project will culminate with a reveal party where the girls will present to their grandmothers with a keepsake box of printed and recorded interviews. All class sessions and the final presentation will take place at the Goldsboro Library. The intent of the project is to connect girls with their grandmothers and/or older adults in order to present to them positive role models and teach them the unique culture values that they have gleaned from their stories to help the girls to grow into valuable contributors in the community.

Reading Is Grand! is a celebration of the important role African- American grandparents and older adults play in the lives of children.

Allen Parish Libraries, Oberlin Headquarters Branch

The purpose of Grand Stories Station, Allen Parish Libraries’ Reading Is Grand! project, is to build generational ties through various literary and cultural activities. Each family will be given a “ticket book to ride the rails.” After leaving the introductory storyteller at Grand Central Station, participants will travel to a variety of depots where families will search archival newspapers on microfiche for articles about life in the area when the grandparents were children. Another depot will explore family histories using Acestory.com. At the Breaking Bread station, participants will bake corn muffins. Baking time will allow for stories about meal time when the grandparents were young. Finally, at the Recap station, staff members will assist the participants in assembling memories.

Durham County Library

Celebrate Grandparents’ Day @ Your Library, Durham County Library's Main Branch's Reading Is Grand! project will be an opportunity to promote family literacy tips and ideas and will highlight the importance of knowing one's family history as a way of understanding the community and society in which they live. Storyteller Willa Brigham will share several family-oriented stories meant to connect generations and inspire participants. They will then work together to create craft projects to be presented to the grandparents at the conclusion of the project. While working on the crafts, the grandparents will be encouraged to share stories of their own childhood experiences. A list of culturally appropriate and relevant titles of children's books and information on family literacy will be provided by library staff.

Boston Public Library, Dudley Branch

The purpose of their Reading is Grand! project is to celebrate grandparent-headed families in the Boston area and encourage families in ethnically diverse communities to read and learn from one another. Librarians have noticed a trend of more grandparents parenting young children when visiting the library. Special guest storyteller and author Irene Smalls will share stories and read from her books about grandparents. At the conclusion of the program, children will receive an autographed copy of one of her books.

Each grant-winning library will receive $500, which will be used to supplement their Reading Is Grand! Program. Funds may be used to purchase books, and/or activities for their programs.

The Reading Is Grand! Project is supported by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). It was developed as part of 2009 - 2010 American Library Association President Camila Alire's Family Literacy Focus Initiative, an initiative to encourage families in ethnically diverse communities to read and learn together.

Pride in San Francisco

(left) Megan McFarlane, Chicago, Ill., waves her Pride flag on June 28, coinciding with the San Francisco Pride Parade. (above) A bookmobile and techmobile from the ALA Exhibits were part of the parade festivities.