<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">
<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Hi Taylor,</SPAN></div>
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<div style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px; RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">You could run a survey regarding what the parents want. Another thing you can do is to create a toddler storytime (aimed at ages 2 - 3), which has the advantage of capturing a wider audience because you can aim it in between the developmental stages. Do you do puppetry? Using a puppet or two (and they can be stuffed animals used as puppets) attracts a variety of ages and you can write some fun dialog for your character or character. Bubbles at the end are fun for a variety of ages. Are you getting babies? If not, you could just have a preschool storytime ages 3 - 5 and a toddler, 2 - 3 using the same theme but more advanced material for the preschoolers. Visiting a few places that have
a toddler time will helps kickstart some ideas too.</SPAN></div>
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<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Hope this helps.</SPAN></div>
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<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Kimbre Chapman</SPAN></div>
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<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Kimbre Chapman</SPAN></div>
<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Children's Services Supervisor</SPAN></div>
<div style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-SIZE: 13px; RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">McMinnville Public Library</SPAN></div>
<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto"><A href="mailto:kimbre.chapman@ci.mcminnville.or.us">kimbre.chapman@ci.mcminnville.or.us</A></SPAN></div>
<div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">503-435-5569</SPAN></div>
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<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px" class=hr contentEditable=false readonly="true"></DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Taylor Worley <youthlib.taylor@creswell-library.org><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> kids-lib@listsmart.osl.state.or.us <BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Tuesday, February 4, 2014 11:02 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [kids-lib] Small Library Storytimes - Looking for Advice<BR></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>Hello, <BR><BR>I'm looking for some information regarding storytimes in libraries with under a 10,000 service population. Specifically, I'm curious as to how you incorporate all ages into very few storytimes. Right now, I have the following three in-library storytimes: <BR><BR></DIV>Itty Bitty Storytime (Ages 0-2)<BR></DIV>PreK Storytime (Ages 3-5)<BR></DIV>Family Storytime (All Ages, but we usually see ages 2-7 at this one)<BR><BR></DIV>Our largest storytime by far is our PreK, but a number of the families dislike that the storytime doesn't hold their young kids' (ages 1 and 2) attention or that the after-storytime craft is too complicated for the younger age group. I've tried to be accommodating by providing and after-storytime sensory play area that usually isn't set up, etc., but I haven't changed the focus age of the storytime. I'm also trying to add more repetition from week to week without "getting stale." (I already use the same structure,
opening/closing songs, etc.)<BR><BR></DIV>The families also seem resistant to trying the younger storytime and we've had trouble building a regular attendance base for that program. <BR><BR></DIV>I'd be very interested to hear from other libraries that have had this type of problem (or if this is a unique problem for me, that's good to know too) and how you've approached or successfully resolved the issue. <BR><BR>Thank you! <BR><BR></DIV>P.S. I'm happy to collect and forward responses to anyone who is interested, just let me know if you'd like the information. <BR>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#444444><FONT face="georgia, serif">Taylor Worley</FONT> |</FONT><FONT color=#444444 size=1 face="georgia, serif"><FONT face="garamond, serif"> </FONT>Youth & Community Services Librarian, Creswell Library</FONT>
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<DIV><FONT color=#999999 size=1 face="georgia, serif"><I>"Always remember you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A. A. Milne</I></FONT></DIV></DIV></FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><BR>_____________________________________________________<BR>Kids-lib mailing list<BR><A href="mailto:Kids-lib@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" ymailto="mailto:Kids-lib@listsmart.osl.state.or.us">Kids-lib@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</A><BR><A href="http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/kids-lib" target=_blank>http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/kids-lib</A><BR>Hosted by the Oregon State Library. The Library is not responsible for content.<BR>Questions related to message content should be directed to list owner(s) or the sender of the message, by phone or email.<BR>Technical questions? Call
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